
COPVRIGHT DEPOSnv 



BACKWARD GLANCES 



Reminiscences of an Old New- Yorker 



By THOS. FLOYD=JONES 



1914 



NEW YORK BROOKLYN LONG ISLAND 



.37 



Copyright, 1914 
By Thos. Floyd- Jones 



SEP 28 I9J4 



V 

tCI,A379686 



^ ILLUSTRATIONS 

^ THE AUTHOR Frontispiece 

Page 

THE EMILY GLENTWORTH CUP Facing 3 

WHITE HALL, PETER STUYVESANT'S 

HOUSE Facing 9 

FIRE TRUMPET— Presented to Thomas Floyd- 
Jones, Nov. 12, 1867, by the members of 
Atlantic Hose Company Number One, Vol- 
unteer Fire Dept., Brooklyn Facing 38 

LADY SUFFOLK Facing 64 

IMPORTED MESSENGER— Running horse. . .Facing 65 

*RIPTON AND CONFIDENCE— Centerville 

Course, Long Island, July 19, 1842 ; won 

by Ripton ; driven by Hiram Woodruff ; 

Confidence, driven by William Whelan ; 

two-mile heats; time, 5:10, 5:14^., Facing 66 

COLD SPRING HARBOR, LONG ISLAND— 
Scene of the author's Grey Eagle Dilemma 
in 1852. The Major William Jones Sand 
Beach, dividing the Inner and Outer Har- 
bor observed in the distance, with his old 
residence built in 1800 on the hill to the 

left Facing 69 

FLORA TEMPLE— Owned by James D. Mc- 

Mann, New York, 1855 Facing 79 

AMERICAN ECLIPSE— Running horse Facing 93 

WILD DUCKS IN A SWAMP Facing 158 

MASSAPEOUA LAKE— Created by damming 

of Brick House Brook in 1837 Facing 169 

fPATENT TO INHABITANTS OF TOWN OF 

OYSTER BAY, LONG ISLAND. ... .Following 174 
tTHREE PATENTS TO INHABITANTS OF 

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON, L. T Following 174 

*(Froin Turf Register and Sporting Magazine). 
fBy Colonial Governors, confirming Indian Deeds. 



This Book is dedicated by the writer 

to his Hfelong friend, 

GEORGE F. JOHNSON 

of New York 



PREFACE 

The Author of this production, before putting it before 
the public, would most respectfully beg leave to say that in the 
waning months of the year 1907, Mr. Sidney S. Toman, the 
enterprising editor of that very lively weekly periodical "The 
Trotter and Pacer," which is a paper edited in New York 
devoted principally to the exploiting of that grand animal the 
Trotting Horse, approached the writer with the urgent re- 
quest that he would dictate an article to be produced in his 
Holiday Number, which had been projected with the purpose 
of making it the very best one in the history of the paper. 
The write-up to be reminiscences of about half a century ago, 
as relating to New York, Brooklyn, and vicinity. 

After due deliberation, it was not deemed advisable to 
take up the task on account of the limited time granted be- 
fore going to press, as it was too short to produce any 
writing that would be of any credit to the producers or in- 
terest to the many readers of his production. 

Subsequently the new year of 1908 came in, and during 
the author's spare moments, he penned a series of recollec- 
tions, with the heading, "Looking Backward — Reminiscences 
of an Old New-Yorker." The article was really most gen- 
eral, as it described almost everything as I saw them in 
this vicinity over fifty years ago. It might be called a hodge- 
podge, too broad for a horse paper, and too much horse, the- 
atrical and sporting matter to be given to any of the various 
monthly magazines, whose interest did not lie in this direc- 
tion. Mature thought came into play, and the decision ar- 
rived at was that "The Trotter and Pacer" was the proper 
source to promulgate the article, which duly appeared in 
the weekly editions of April i6th, 23d, 30th, and May 7th, 
1908, and the final disposal proved to be a most successful 

iii 



iv PREFACE 

and happy one, as the paper was perused and the produc- 
tion was most favorably commended by many people, old 
New-Yorkers and Brooklynites, who were not particularly in- 
terested in field sports, but eager to observe general accounts 
of many, many years passed by, and in which a large number 
of them were interested in some way. A Giicago paper, as 
also a New York monthly, referred to it, both of which were 
devoted to Music and the Drama, with the hope that it would 
appear in book shape, so that it would be seen by more of 
the general public and be kept as a book of reference. At 
the same time, they deplored the abrupt ending of the series, 
so in accord with the desires of many lifelong friends, I have 
taken up this work and put it in book shape, having secured the 
nucleus of same from the original article, and added mat- 
ter in several instances, also inserting new memories as I pro- 
gressed, and have changed the momenclature to the new one of 
"Backward Glances." This without any apologies to Edward 
Bellamy's Ghost, which cognomen amply expresses all con- 
tained therein. Further, it may not look well for the writer 
to apologize when putting out the foregoing, but he really 
feels for his own gratification, that the reader must be ap- 
prised that the book will likely appear a shade crude in the 
eyes of a college graduate ; but look charitably upon the 
efforts of merely a layman, who has done the best he knew 
how, to let the present generation gain knowledge of how 
affairs looked in days of long ago, so as to compare them 
with the great, successful, and magnificent ones of the present 
age in our great City of New York. 

Thos. Floyd-Jones. 
New York, 1914. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER I Pp. 

The author at Battery Park ruminating in 1914. 
Aspect of same at that time. Elevated railroad 
obscured eastern view, barge office and the aqua- 
rium the southern, derricks, shafting, tackling, 
boiler houses, etc., etc. 

Entrance of new tunnel to Brooklyn, noise of ma- 
chinery combined made strong contrast, peaceful 
spot of years ago. 

Aspect of same locality in i860. It was then en- 
closed with an iron fence. Trees extended over 
the entire park. The breathing spot and promen- 
ade for residents of the lower wards, used largely 
by nurses and children. Central Park being 
opened 1856-7. Prospect Park, Brooklyn, i860. 
Last slaver, the bark "Cora" at anchor in the 
Bay. The distant hills of Staten Island observed. 
Arrival of the steamship "Great Eastern," the 
largest vessel ever built, on her voyage to New 
York, June 28, i860. The Bay crowded with 
crafts as her escort. The Battery holding thou- 
sands of citizens to welcome her. Her second 
arrival was at Flushing Bay, Long Island, Au- 
gust 27. 1862. 

Old Castle Williams on Governors Island, with 
parapet crowned with guns. Flag hauled down 
at setting of the sun from flagstaff on same. 
Castle Garden, formerly Castle Clinton, aban- 
doned as a fort in 1820-22, used for the recep- 
tion of Lafayette in 1824, President Andrew 
Jackson, 1832. President John Tyler, 1843, and 
Kossuth, 185 1. The American Institute held 



vi CONTENTS 

their fairs there in 1846 to 1850. Awards of sil- 
ver cups to Major William Jones of Cold Spring 
Harbor, Long Island, for best blood and brood 
mares. Names of mares, Emily Glentworth and 
Young Dove. Present owners of the cups. Used 
as a concert hall by Jenny Lind in 1850 under the 
management of Phineas T. Barnum. First re- 
served seat bought by John N. Genin, the hatter, 
for $250. Used as an emigrant depot in 1855. 
Last reception there was to Cyrus W. Field 
in 1858. 

Atlantic Cable celebration, the cable being laid by 
the U. S. man of war steamship "Niagara." It 
proving a failure (the subsequent one laid by the 
Great Eastern). Procession of citizens, militia, 
and societies, to the Crystal Palace. Mr. Field 
presented with freedom of the city by a docu- 
ment in a gold box. Night procession of the 
New York Volunteer Fire Department. Fire 
works at City Hall. Cupola of same destroyed by 
fire. Battery Park increased by filling in, oblit- 
erating the wooden bridge from the main land 
to Castle Garden, used for a parade ground by the 
State Militia. 

Arrival of hordes of emigrants, Irish and Ger- 
man, by packet ships generally and by a few clip- 
per ships, viz: "Flying Cloud" and "Dread- 
nought," subsequently by steamers, the Irish re- 
maining in New York and the Germans going 
West. 

Quarantine on Staten Island and the New York 
Pilot Boats. 

Halls Baths, former owner Doctor Rabineau, held 
by chains off the Battery. 

CHAPTER 2 Pp. 7—17 

State Street and brick houses facing the park. 



CONTENTS vii 

South Street to Coenties Slip. Basin occupied by 
Canal boats. Storehouses in the Atlantic Docks 
and on East River front Brooklyn. 
Names of firms in flour and grain trade, members 
of the Corn Exchange on South Street. Design 
of certificate Volunteer Fire Department, Brook- 
lyn. 

Names of California Clipper ships and London 
and Liverpool Packet ships on East River front, 
New York, from Coenties Slip to Catharine 
Street. 

Burning of "Joseph Walker" and "Jeremiah 
Thompson" packet ships. And from Old Slip to 
Burling Slip on South Street and vicinity. Names 
of old firms of shipping merchants, shipping 
agents, commission merchants, importers, export- 
ers, wholesale grocers, drugs, tobacco, teas, sugar, 
molasses, butter and cheese, salt and salted fish 
dealers. Auctioneers, sugar refiners, etc., etc. 
White Hall Street, later called Broadway. New 
Produce Exchange on Broadway and Moore 
Street. Army headquarters, eastern department. 
Names of hog slaughterers and provision dealers, 
members of Produce Exchange, and final disposal 
of the former trade in New York. French line 
steamships and their agents. 
Horsemen of the Exchange. Great double team 
race at Fleetwood. The winners owned by a 
member of the Exchange, who was also a real 
estate operator. Names of celebrated trotting 
horses. 

Bowling Green buildings and British Consulate, 
15 and 17 Broadway, and owners of same. Of- 
fices of Collins, Cunard, Inman, Guion and 
French lines steamships. Loss of the "Arctic," 
1854, "Pacific," 1856, "City of Boston," 1870, 
"City of Glasgow," 1854. Names of Coastwise 



viii CONTENTS 

and Havana Lines on the North River Piers. 
Names of Coastwise and Havana Steamships. 
Account of the "Star of the West" relief steamer, 
to Fort Sumter in 1861. Loss of the "Central 
America" and her commander, Captain Herndon. 
His monument at Annapolis, Maryland, in Na- 
val Academy Grounds. 

Loss of the "Evening Star." Billy Birch the 
minstrel was saved. 

Names of Albany night boats and day boats to 
places on Hudson River. Names of night boats 
to New England Cities. Day boats to Long Is- 
land towns. Burning of the Seawanaka in Hell 
Gate. Names of Harlem boats and of lines to 
New Orleans from the East River front. 
Arrival of European steamers and newspaper 
issued "Extra." Account of receipt of mails at 
Post Office (Old Dutch Qiurch) and delivery 
of same. 

CHAPTER 3 Pp. 18— ?6 

Washington Hotel (Kennedy Mansion), Broad- 
way and Battery Place, and names of merchants 
dining there. 

Pacific Engine Co. No. 14, Brooklyn, and some 
members. Mechanic Hose Co. No. 8, New York 
Fire Department, John Rouse, Foreman, Pork 
Inspector of New York. 

The Clay mare episode in Brooklyn. Restaurants. 
Stock Exchange in Lord Court. Members of 
same, horsemen. Dry goods trade (wholesale) 
in Exchange Place and Broad Street and mem- 
bers of same, prominent horsemen. George 
Downing (colored man) oyster saloon in base- 
ment of No. 3 Broad Street, Patrons of same. 
Cricket Club on Staten Island. New York Yacht 



CONTENTS « 

Club on Staten Island. Great Ocean Yacht Race 
1866. 

Coney Island Hotels, Delatours Soda Water 
Fountain in Wall Street. Jaunceys Court in Wall 
Street. Names of Marine Insurance companies 
in Wall, Pine and William Streets. Journal of 
Commerce, newspaper, Hanover Street, corner 
of Beaver Street. Names of banks, bankers, 
Wall 'Street and vicinity. Names of cotton 
brokers and auctioneers, Pearl Street, Hanover 
Square and Wall Street. 

Ohio Life and Trust Company failure in 1857 
and account of panic. 



CHAPTER 4 PP- 27—3 

Brick building corner of Wall and Nassau Streets. 
Morning Express newspaper. James and Eras- 
tus Brooks. 

Jay Cook and Co., Bankers. Bankers Trust 
Company. Additional banks. Mock auction 
places on Broadway, Park Row, Chatham Street 
and Courtlandt Street. 

Names of real estate brokers, hat, cap. and fur 
trade dealers. Wholesale dry goods merchants 
on Broadway. Trinity Church and graveyard. 
Soldiers monument. Grave of Charlotte Temple. 
42 Engine Co. monument, also monuments of 
Captain James Lawrence, U. S. Frigate, Chesa- 
peake, Robert Fulton and Alexander Hamilton. 
Iron yards, Broadway, Broad, South and Mar- 
ketfield Streets. 
Celebrated trotting horses. 

Old Tom's Chop and Ale House in Temple Street. 
Fraunces Tavern, Broad Street, corner of Pearl 
Street, New York. The Eastern Hotel, corner 
South and Whitehall Streets. 
Mutual Life Insurance Company, Broadway, cor- 



X CONTENTS 

ner of Liberty Street. Equitable Life Assurance 
Company, Broadway, Henry B. Hyde, President 
of Equitable. 

Howard House, corner of Broadway and Maiden 
Lane. Gilsey House, corner of Broadway and 
Courtlandt Street. Hotels in Courtlandt Street. 
Foot Bridge, Broadway and Fulton Street, 1866. 
Barnum's Museum (American), Broadway, cor- 
ner Ann Street. Description of freaks, the happy 
family and names of actors and actresses in 
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" on the stage of lecture 
room there in 1853, City Hall Park, City Hall. 
New City Hall, Old Hall of Records, formerly 
Provost jail and a fire company house. 
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" at Chatham Theatre and 
cast of players, 1853. 
Burning of Barnum's Museum, 1865. 
New York Fire Department Volunteer System 
Companies. Brooklyn Fire Department Volunteer 
System and names of members of Atlantic Hose 
Co. No. I. 

CHAPTER 5 Pp. 36—40 

New York Fire Department Volunteer System 
and names of prominent members. Names of ad- 
ditional companies, chief engineers and assistant 
engineers of same. Changed to paid system, 
1865. Names of chief engineers Volunteer Sys- 
tem, Brooklyn, 1861-68. Title of companies, 
locations and officers. Changed to paid system 
1868-69. Noted fires in New York. Greenwich 
Avenue school, 1853-54, Pearl Street House, 
1852-53, W. J. Jennings' Clothing Store and Har- 
per Brothers, 1853-54. In Brooklyn the Furman 
Street disaster was in 1865 by fire. Narrow 
escape of Hose Co. No. i members at same. 
Jewelry trade, Broadway. Tobacco, retail, Cham- 



CONTENTS xi 

bers, Centre, Catharine, Broadway and Cedar 
Street. Drug stores in Broadway, Dr. Helmbold 
and his Buchu and Grand Park equipage. 

CHAPTER 6 PP- 41—47 

The Astor House. Abraham Lincoln, 1860. 
Body of President Abraham Lincoln at New 
York City Hall, 1865. 

Names of stage companies in New York and their 
routes. Names of stage owners in New York, 
Postage stamps and shinplaster script used for 
fares. Names of car lines in New York and 
their routes. Names of car line owners in New 
York. 

Crystal Palace fire 1858. Latting observatory 
fire, West Forty-second Street and Sixth Avenue 
in 1856. 

Hotels on Park Row, New York. Brick Church 
on Park Row and graveyard. Old Dutch Church 
(post office). Nassau Street corner of Liberty 
and Cedar Streets. Tammany Hall, corner of 
Frankfort Street and Park Row, New York. 
New York Sun, newspaper. Staats Zeitang, 
Tryon Row, New York. Robert L. and Alexan- 
der Stuart residences in Chambers Street. Rob- 
ert L. and Alexander Stuart sugar refinery and 
candy factory, Chambers and Greenwich Streets, 
later Ridley and Company, corner of Hudson and 
Chambers Streets. Hudson River Railroad De- 
pot, College Place, Chambers and Warren Streets. 
Trotter and Pacer office. College Place and Cham- 
bers Street. Hudson River Railroad Depot, 
Thirtieth Street station. Girard House Hotel, 
Chambers, corner of West Broadway, New York. 
Old residences on Hudson, Beach, Laight, 
Greenwich Streets and St. John's Park. Har- 
lem Railroad Depot, White and Centre Streets, 



xii CONTENTS 

New York, subsequently Fourth Avenue and 
Twenty-sixth Street, New York. New York, 
New Haven and Hartford Depot, Fourth Avenue 
and Twenty-sixth Street, New York. Round 
Houses, Fourth Avenue, Thirty-third — Thirty- 
fourth Streets, New York. Cattle yards, Robin- 
son Street, Sixth Street and Third Avenue, and 
Forty- fourth Street and Fourth Avenue. 
Madame Restell and her end by suicide, Lang- 
ham Hotel, New York. The old Bowery Theatre 
and Atlantic Gardens. Title of dramas at Bow- 
ery Theatre. Names of actors and actresses 
associated with same. 

City Hall Park and Five Points. Dead Rabbit 
Riots, 1857. Police Riots, 1857. Metropolitan 
Police System inaugurated 1857. Seventh Regi- 
ment, New York. Colonel Abraham Duryea. 
Names of Police Commissioners. Police head- 
quarters. Names of chiefs. Police Gazette news- 
paper. Names of Police Justices. 

CHAPTER 7 Pp. 48—58 

City Hall Park, April, i86r. New York. Songs 
on wires on the fence around the park. Arrival 
of Seventh Regiment back from Washington, 
D. C, May, 1861, three months campaign. Thir- 
teenth Regiment of Brooklyn and names of prin- 
cipal officers. Company G, 200 men. Captain 
Richard Van Wyck Thorne, Jr. Home Guard, 
Brooklyn, 1861. Twenty-third Regiment, Brook- 
lyn. Fourteenth Regiment, Brooklyn, 1861. 
Colonel Alfred M. Wood. Forty-eighth Regi- 
ment, Brooklyn, Colonel Bennett. The Four- 
teenth Regiment of Brooklyn in Bull Run bat- 
tle. Colonel Wood captured and in Libby 
Prison, Richmond, Virginia. Colonel Wood, 
Mayor of Brooklyn. 



CONTENTS xiii 

Burton's Theatre, Chambers Street. American 
News Company site. William Burton as Toodles. 
Mrs. Russell, subsequently Mrs. John Hoey. A. 
T. Stewart and Company, retail dry goods, 
New York. A. T. Stewart and his residences. 
Jones's Claremont, Roadhouse, New York. 
To an amiable child. Liester Pollock. Solitary 
grave Claremont. Kings Bridge Road, Kings 
Bridge Hotel on Isle of Manhattan. 
Elmer Ellsworth of Chicago. Ellsworth Zou- 
aves. New York firemen. Willard's Hotel, 
Washington, D. C, 1861. Fields Building, 
Washington, D. C, 1861, fire. Washington Fire 
Department, 1861. Killing of Ellsworth by 
shooting at Alexandria, Virginia, by James W. 
Jackson, proprietor of Marshall House. Jackson 
shot by Sergeant Brownell. Succeeded by Lieu- 
tenant Colonel Noah L. Farnum as Colonel of 
Regiment of Hook and Ladder Company No. t, 
New York, Fire Department Volunteers. Fifth 
Ward Hotel, West Broadway and Franklin 
Street. D. Devlin and Company, Broadway and 
Warren Street, clothing. 

Beach pneumatic Railroad tunnel, 1869, on Broad- 
way and Warren Street. Removed 1913. Atlantic 
Street tunnel, Brooklyn, Long Island Railroad 
owners. 

Chemical Bank, New York. Organizers of bank 
and officers of same. Irving House, Broadway 
and Chambers Street. Jenny Lind there in 1850. 
Adams and Colt murder at Irving House. New 
York Hospital location. Old Broadway Theatre. 
Plays at same. Actors and actresses there. Wil- 
liams, Stevens and Williams Picture store. Gos- 
lings restaurant. Mealio's hat store. Hotels on 
Broadway. W. C. Langley of Bay Ridge, Long 
Island. Ice Cream saloons. Grand saloons. Bars. 



xiv CONTENTS 

English chop and ale houses. "The Tender- 
loin." Palace Garden, Sixth Avenue and Four- 
teenth Street. Greenwich Savings Bank, J. & 
R. Lamb. Names of piano manufacturers in 
New York. Names of sheet music houses in New 
York. Names of stationery trade houses in 
New York. Jardines and Roosevelts church or- 
gan makers. New York. 

Names of retail dry goods houses, Chambers 
Street to Grand on Broadway and vicinity. West- 
chester House, Bowery and Broome. J. H. John- 
sons jewelry house, Bowery and Broome. Re- 
tail clothing trade, Fulton Street, Bowery and 
Chatham Street. E. V. Haughwout & Company. 
Burning of Barnum's New Museum, formerly 
Chinese assembly rooms. Masonic Hall, subse- 
quently Gothic Hall, Apollo Hall, Brooks Danc- 
ing Academy, Dodworths Dancing Academy, 
Bryants Minstrels, Christys Minstrels, Christy 
and Woods Minstrels. E. P. Christy founder 
of minstrelsy. George Christy (George Har- 
rington). Way down south in Dixie, song, 1859. 
Park and Tilford, Tom Benton, Jessie Benton, 
Lincoln and Hamblin, Douglas and Johnson, 
Breckenridge and Lane, Bell and Everett, i860 
presidential candidates for president and vice 
president, Sherwood Cambpell, minstrel, with 
Bryants minstrels, later opera singer. English 
opera at Grand Opera House. Caroline Ritch- 
ings troupe. The heart bowed down sung by 
Campbell. Prendergast, Griffn, John Wilde, 
Mulligan, Bartholomew and Nelse Seymour, 
prominent minstrels. William Castle, of Christys 
minstrels in English opera and singer in church 
choir in Brooklyn. Died in Chicago. Wood and 
Marsh, combination of children, at 472 Broad- 
way during the summer season. Theatre was 



CONTENTS XV 

called Broadway Varieties. They played in 
"Black Eyed Susan" and other pieces. Odd Fel- 
lows Hall, Grand, corner Centre Street, Board 
of Education Building, Elm, corner of Grand 
Street. 

CHAPTER 8 Pp. 59—84 

The Broadway House, St. Nicholas Hotel, and 
Prescott House all on Broadway. Celebrated 
jewelry houses. Wallacks Theatre, Broadway 
and Broome Street. Names of the stock com- 
pany actors and actresses. Others appeared here 
on stated occasions viz. Dion Boucicault and 
wife, Agnes Robertson, Matilda Heron, Robert 
Stoepel, leader of orchestra. Barney Williams 
(Bernard Flaherty) Mrs. Barney Williams, 
James W. Wallack, John E. Owens, Billy Flor- 
ence and wife in various comedies. James Bev- 
ins, who married a sister of Mrs. Williams, and 
Mrs. Florence named Pray, kept a holstelry 
near Centerville Track, Long Island. He was 
later the bell ringer of the Jefferson Market Fire 
Tower. Metropolitan Hotel. Prince of Wales, 
Duke of Newcastle, Lord Lyons, Fernando 
Wood, Mayor. 

Revenue cutter, Harriet Lane, named after Pres- 
ident James Buchanan's niece. Prince Albert's 
brother George's arrival in New York. Ball at 
Academy of Music. The Duke Alexis of Russia 
in 1871 at launching of the "Grand Admiral" man 
of war built for the Russian Navy. Reception 
to him at Brooklyn Navy Yard, given by Rear 
Admiral Melancthon Smith, who was in com- 
mand of the Mississippi with Farragut at New 
Orleans, George Dewey being his first officer. 
Niblos Garden in rear of Metropolitan Hotel on 
Broadway. 



xvi CONTENTS 

Charlotte Cushman as Meg Merrilies, and as 
Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet." Mrs. John 
Wood, Maggie Mitchell, Edwin Forrest, E. L. 
Davenport, Dan Harkins, Margaret Mather, 
Lydia Thompson, Pauline Markam and Bon- 
fanti the great dancer, all appeared on the stage 
of this theatre. "The Black Crook" and "White 
Fawn" were played here for many months under 
the management of Jarrett and Palmer. Mel- 
ville, Stone, Sebastian, Dan Rice, Nat Austin, 
of the circus, as also The Ravels, in pantomime 
appeared here. Little All Right, a Japanese acro- 
bat, was also quite a feature at this house. 
The great Stanwix Hall tragedy, shooting of 
Bill Poole, a pugilist, in 1855, and his death, his 
funeral. "I die a true American" were his last 
words. Lafayette Hall on Broadway. Captain 
Shumway's Company quarters Seventh Regi- 
ment, also of Light Guard, Tompkins Blues. 
The City Guard on Broadway also. The Old 
Guard. Lafayette Hall, quarters of trotting 
horse owners. Vauxhall Garden. Wagon ma • 
ers. Corporal Thompson's old road house at 
Twenty-third Street and Broadway, subsequent 
site of Franconi's Hippodrome. Chariot racing. 
Fifth Avenue Hotel. Finley's race track. Bloom- 
ingdale, Strykers Bay, Jones' Claremont Hotel 
and Burnhams road house, as also The Abby at 
One Hundred and Second Street and the North 
River. 

Residences of Fernando Wood, Jerry and Neil 
Bryant, Hosea Perkins, Lawson N. Fuller, Ben- 
jamin Wood. Lady Suffolk. Race Course on 
Hempstead Plains in 1665, called Salisbury 
Plains. This track was called New Market. 
Location near Hyde Park, or Isle of Trees, Long 
Island. 



CONTENTS xvii 

Track at Jamaica, Long Island, around Beaver 
Pond, another on Lispenard Meadows in Green- 
wich Village (old Ninth Ward) also a track on 
the Bowery at First Street and one at Newtown, 
Long Island. The Centerville Track laid out 
in 1825. Albany Girl feat in 1847. Attempted 
and failure. Lady Suffolk foaled in 1833 at 
Smithtown, Long Island. Pedigree, owners, and 
her career. Names of prominent competitors. 
Reference to Gipsy, Night Hawk (Jupiter) Lady 
Emma and Pearsall. The Union course be- 
tween East New York and Jamaica, Long Is- 
land, and the Centerville Course. The Hunting- 
ton, Babylon, Massapequa and Washington 
Course in Hempstead Plains all on Long Island. 
Huckleberry frolics at the Hempstead Track. 
Description of same. "Licker up" beverages. 
Hewletts Hotel and St. Georges Church, Hemp- 
stead. Remsens and Cale Weeks Hotel at Ja- 
maica, Long Island. The Hamilton half mile 
track, Ninety-third Street and Columbus Ave- 
nue, New York. The Red House half mile 
race track, Second Avenue and One Hundred 
and Fifth Street, and one on Harlem Lane near 
the river at 148th Street. Grey Eagle and Hiram 
Woodruff his trainer and horses he trotted 
against. The Grey Eagle episode at Cold Spring 
Harbor, Long Island, in 1852. Dicken's char- 
acter Nicholas Nickleby and Whackford Squeers, 
R. I. P. Major William Jones' wager in 1818 
with Colonel Bond of Baltimore, Maryland, of 
$1,000 — to produce a horse to trot a mile in har- 
ness under three minutes. The horse named was 
Boston Pony. The race was on the turnpike 
west of Jamaica, Long Island. It was won by 
the Major. Boston Blue called the Slate Colored 
American. Sorrel mare Gipsy and stallion Jupi- 
2 



xviii CONTENTS 

ter. Rules and Regulations adopted for the 
Union Course, Long Island, March 25, 1848, at 
the house of Green and Wessel, New York. 
Successor to Lady Suffolk, bobtailed mare, Flora 
Temple. Where foaled, and pedigree. Union, 
Centerville and Fashion Tracks on Long Island. 
Location and description of Fashion Race Track, 
1856. Names of horses pitted against Flora 
Temple, she vanquishing all of them. She was 
owned at different times by George E. Perrin, 
John C. Perrin a Mr. Borum and Lew Pettee, 
driven by Hiram Woodruff, Warren Peabody 
and Darius Tallman, subsequently owned by 
James Irving and Mr. James D. McMann con- 
jointly. This partnership dissolved, the latter 
buying out Irving's interest. She was later sold 
to Mr. McDonald of Baltimore, being in charge 
of Mr. McMann. Names of celebrated horses 
and road drivers. Flora's race with Medoc and 
against Ethan Allen and Running Mate about the 
year 1863, on the Union Course, Long Island, 
the team beating her. The same team met her 
at the Fashion Track and won the first heat, 
being distanced in the second. In the next race 
the team beat her. In 1864 Dexter appeared on 
the turf. His pedigree and owner. Names of 
his competitors. Lady Thorne and her pedigree 
and owner, Mr. James McMann. She beat Dex- 
ter in one race and Dexter beat her in three 
races. Lady Emma and her races. 
Stage lines on Long Island, Amityville to Brook- 
lyn and Hempstead to Brooklyn. Names of own- 
ers of stage lines and driver of Amityville stage. 
Montgomery Queen stages in Brooklyn. Phil Gro- 
gan and Dominick Colgan's oyster houses in 
Brooklyn. English ale and chop houses in Brook- 
lyn. Hotels in Fulton Street, Brooklyn. Billiard 



CONTENTS XIX 

rooms in same and members of the Excelsior 
Baseball Club "Nine". 

Mr. Chadwick of the Stars and Reporter. His 
death in 1908. Elysian Fields, Hoboken. Names 
of New York Baseball Clubs. 
Rough house on Hoboken Ferry boats. Dickey 
Pierce and the O'Briens, members of the At- 
lantic Baseball Club, Brooklyn. 

CHAPTER 9 Pp. 85-96 

Three and four mile heats in Lady Suffolk's day. 
Endurance performance of pair of stage horses 
in 1841. Register of house at Montauk Point, 
Long Island, kept by P. T. Gould. Copied by 
William Jones Weeks, 1847. Mr. Gould being 
keeper of the light house at that time. Match 
for $600 between Isaac Willets from Hemp- 
stead and Gilbert B. Miller of Brooklyn. Mr. Wil- 
lets bet Mr. Miller that he could drive a pair of 
mares belonging to John and Joseph Curtis, from 
Brooklyn to Montauk Point in twenty- four hours 
to a wagon weighing 300 pounds, being 140 miles 
by the post road in the month of March, 1841. 
Full account of the performance. Mr. Willets 
the winner. Account of the trotting match from 
the Long Island Star, published in Brooklyn under 
date of March 10, 1841, Account of same from 
the American Turf Register and Sporting Mag- 
azine, Volume 15, issued in August, 1844. 
Additional members of the Excelsior Baseball 
Club of Brooklyn on their great "Nine." Rivalry 
between the Excelsiors and Atlantics. The Em- 
pires of New York and Athletics of Philadel- 
phia. James Creighton's style of pitching the 
ball. Dan and Tom Dean's billiard room, as 
also Suydams, in Brooklyn. General Thomas 



XX 



CONTENTS 

Dakin, a baseball player, as also Honorable John 
Shields. 

The Park Theatre on Fulton Street, Brooklyn, 
erected by Gabriel Harrison, actor. Dorlon and 
Schafer's oyster saloon in Fulton Market, New 
York. Frederick B. Conway, subsequent owner 
of the Park Theatre, with his wife. Her name 
was Sarah Crocker, a sister of Mrs. Bowers, ac- 
tress, and mother of Minnie Conway, wife of 
Levy the cornetist. Frank Conway, an English- 
man, played at Broadway Theatre, New York. 
Hooley's Minstrels in Brooklyn, Archie Hughes, 
an end man. Dime Savings Bank, Brooklyn, was 
on the site of former Minstrel Hall. Hooley's 
Theatre, Chicago. His treasurer from Hemp- 
stead, Long Island. Academy of Music, Brook- 
lyn, erected 1860-61. Sanitary Fair during the 
war. First night of a great European songstress 
under the management of Henry E. Abbey there. 
Full account of the affair, and how it was ar- 
ranged beforehand. 

Reference to the passing at Albany by the Legisla- 
ture of a bill for the paid fire department in New 
York in 1865, and Brooklyn, 1868-69, thereby 
abolishing the volunteer system. The last row of 
the New York Volunteer Department in 1865. 
The experience of the writer in going to a fire in 
Brooklyn in 1866. Names of track drivers re- 
siding in New York, Brooklyn and Queens Coun- 
ty, Long Island. 

Match race Prospero and Honest Dutchman for 
$5,000 a side in 1873, Dutchman shut out the 
first heat, was at Prospect Park Race Track which 
was built about 1863. Match race between Judge 
Fullerton, chestnut gelding, and the mare, Amer- 
ican Girl, on Prospect Track, Brooklyn, in 1863, 
which was won by the mare. The Deerfoot half 



CONTENTS xxi 

mile track, Brooklyn, bought by Mr. John Shults. 
Names of celebrated Brooklyn road horses and 
road drivers. Uncle Dan Willets^ the veteran. 
The filly Tempest by Hambletonian, dam Co- 
quette by Jupiter, subsequently called Nettie 
Plummer. Article, by a letter referring to the 
pedigree of the filly Tempest, as traced back 
through her dam Coquette, and grand dam Suf- 
folk Maid, to Old Henry, the competitor of 
Eclipse in 1823 on the Union Course, Long Is- 
land. Race won by Eclipse. Full account of 
same. 

CHAPTER 10 Pp. 97—1 1 1 

The Revere House, Broadway corner of Houston 
Street, Charles Coe, proprietor. Fleetwood in its 
declining days. The four mares, Emma C, Daisy, 
Margaret O. and Maud. Reddy the Blacksmith 
saloon on Broadway and Houston Street. Allen 
brothers, Mart and "The," ran the St. Bernard 
Hotel. Tony Pastor as the clown. Harry Hill's 
Public House and dance hall, Crosby Street cor- 
ner of Houston. English ale houses, Cliftons, 
House of Lords, House of Commons, in same 
locality. St. Thomas's Church, corner Broad- 
way and Houston Street. Henry Maillard's ice 
cream and candy place, next door. Florence's res- 
taurant in basement, southwest corner Broad- 
way and Houston Street. Headquarters of prize 
fighters. Heenan, Sayres, Coburn, Morrissey, 
Mulligan and Mathews referred to. John C. 
Heenan's fight with Sayres in England. Heenan 
and Morrissey sparred at Hoymes' Theatre on 
the Bowery. Morrissey defeated Heenan in Can- 
ada. Heenan sparred at the New Bowery Thea- 
tre with Aaron Jones and Murphy the Irish Giant. 
Sam Collier and Billy Edwards heads of the light 



xxii CONTENTS 

weight class. Eating saloon and barroom of 
George and Jerry Thomas, Broadway near Twen- 
ty-second Street. Cartoons by Thomas Nast 
great attraction there. The Lotus Club possess 
most of these pictures. 

Beginning of the cheap concert rooms. Canter- 
bury Hall, formerly Mozart Hall and the Me- 
lodeon (Chinese assembly rooms) were the first 
of this kind. Koster & Bial's was very prominent 
of the same description at Twenty-third Street 
and Sixth Avenue. 

Barmore & McCollough's ice cream saloon, 
Broadway near Eighth Street. Mr. Barmore or- 
ganizer of the Knickerbocker Ice Company. 
The Sinclair House, southeast corner of Broad- 
way and Eighth Street. 

The great Burdell murder case in 1857 at 31 
Bond Street, a boarding house kept by Mrs. Cun- 
ningham. Doctor Harvey Burdell, Mr. Eckles, 
Mr. Snodgrass and Dan Ullman boarded there. 
Frank Leslie's Illustrated with harrowing wood 
cuts. Mrs. Cunningham and her bogus baby, a 
fraud discovered, left for California where she 
died. 

Laura Keene's new theatre No. 624 Broadway. 
Laura Keene as Camille also in "The American 
Cousin." Sothern as Lord Dundreary and Broth- 
er Sam. Holland, Couldock. Reverend Dr. 
Sabine mentioned, as also the Church of the 
Transfiguration, Reverend Dr. Houghton "The 
Little Church Around the Corner." Joseph Jef- 
ferson as the American in "The American 
Cousin." John T. Raymond and Lotta also ap- 
peared here. Laura Keene at Ford's Theatre, 
Washington, D. C, in "The American Cousm," 
April 15, 1865, where and when the president, 
Abraham Lincoln, was shot by Wilkes Booth. 



CONTENTS xxiii 

John Duff leased Laura Keenes Theatre and 
called it the Olympic, Augustin Daly his son- 
in-law, the playwright acting as his agent, as- 
sisted by James W. Morrissey. Mrs. John Wood 
appeared here in 1866. The pantomine "Humpty 
Dumpty" with George L. Fox as the clown oc- 
cupied this theatre in 1868 for an indefinite per- 
iod. "Under the Gas Light" with C. F. Parsloe 
in the cast had a long run here. "The Railroad 
Scene" was a great feature. "The Sea of Ice" 
or "A Maiden's Prayer" met with quite a success 
on the stage of this house, George Jordan being 
in the cast. It was spectacular and grand. While 
George L. Fox was at the Olympic he put on the 
drama "Richelieu" as a burlesque, he taking the 
part of the cardinal. At this temple of the muses, 
George Jones (The Count Johannes) appeared 
in Shakesperian characters, being greeted at 
every performance with cat calls and pelted with 
onions, apples, turnips and even eggs, the house 
crowded at every show. In 1856 a new theatre 
was erected at 677 Broadway, former site of 
Tripler Hall, Metropolitan Theatre, later called 
Laura Keenes Varieties, under this name only 
for a short time, succeeded by William Burton 
from Chambers Street acting in many of his 
old characters and in the new comedy "Brig- 
ham Young" a satire on the sect known as Mor- 
mons or latter day saints. The bedroom scene 
described. On Burton's retirement, this theatre's 
name was changed from FJurtons Theatre to the 
Winter Garden. Charles Mathews, an English 
actor, appeared here. Row with Dolly Daven- 
port, a cow hide whip playing a part. Attentions 
of the former to the wife of the latter was the 
cause of the quarrel. She was a beautiful wom- 
an and appeared in "The Naiad Queen" a spec- 



xxiv CONTENTS 

tacular piece. English opera was presented here. 
This theatre was in the rear of the Lafarge 
House, now the Broadway Central Hotel, called 
the Grand Central at one time. Scene of the 
shooting of James Fisk, Jr., January 6, 1872, by 
Edward S. Stokes. Burton's country home at 
Glen Cove, Long Island. Harry Placide at Baby- 
lon, Long Island. Dion Boucicault and his wife, 
Agnes Robertson, at the Winter Garden in "The 
Octaroon." "Midsummers Nights Dream," a 
spectacular piece, was put on the stage of this 
theatre, Helen Western appearing in this, as also 
"The Naiad Queen." Kate Bateman, in "Evan- 
geline" and "Leah." Charlotte Cushman as 
Lady MacBeth, supported by Studley. Charles 
Mathews, Mark Smith, Mrs. John Wood and 
John Brougham in "Pocahontas" all appeared 
here, as also in 1864 Edwin, John Wilkes and 
Junius Brutus Booth in "Julius Caesar." This 
theatre was destroyed by fire March 23, 1867, 
and was not rebuilt. William R. Blake, Harry 
Placide, Barney Williams, William J. Florence, 
William E. Burton, Fred B. Conway and his 
wife Sarah Crocker, John Brougham, Charles 
M. Walcott, Lester Wallack and his father, 
James W. Wallack, Harry Montague and Laura 
Keene are all interred in Greenwood Cemetery, 
Brooklyn. The Academy of Music, New York, 
on East Fourteenth Street and Irving Place, 
was opened October 2, 1854. LaGrange, Brig- 
noli, Adelina Patti, Carlotta Patti. Piccolomini, 
Lucca, Clara Louise, Kellogg, Parepa Rosa, 
Emma Abbott. Campanini, Del Puenti, Ravelle, 
Christine Nilson and Gurster all sang at this 
house in Italian opera. It was destroyed by fire 
in 1868 and was rebuilt. Obliteration of old 
theatres down town, viz : Barnums at Ann Street, 



CONTENTS XXV 

Burtons in Chambers Street, National in Chat- 
ham, Broadway on Broadway above Pearl Street, 
and Wallacks on Broadway near Broome Street, 
by fire, or to make way for business houses. 
Niblos, Olympic, and the minstrel shows, Bry- 
ants, Christys and Buckleys Serenaders, re- 
mained on their old sites for some years. Wal- 
lacks moved to Broadway and Thirteenth Street 
about 1 86 1. His old theatre was then called the 
Broadway, Theodore Morse Wallacks, Manager. 
Harry Montague, an English actor, at Wallacks 
Thirteenth Street house 1871-72. Barney Wil- 
liams as lessee of the Broadway (Wallacks old 
theatre). Billy Florence appeared here with his 
wife in the comedy "Caste," he taking the char- 
acter in the role of George D'Alroy, his wife 
portraying that of Polly. William Davidge as 
Eccles, Mrs. F. S. Chanfrau as Esther Eccles, 
Mrs. G. H. Gilbert as the Marquise. In 1868 
Mr. Wallack produced this comedy at his Broad- 
way and Thirteenth Street house. Charles Fish- 
er as D'Alroy, J. H. Stoddart as Eccles, Rose 
Eytinge as Esther, Effie Germon as Polly and 
Emily Mestayer as the Marquise. Osmond 
Tearle, John Howson, Rose Coghlan, Ada Dyas 
and Madalene Henriques appeared at this the- 
atre. The great piece "Rosedale" was put on the 
boards of this house in 1863, Oct. 5, Lester Wal- 
lack as Elliot Grey, supported by Mrs. John Hoey, 
Mary Gannon, Effie Germon and Mrs. Vernon. 
John Gilbert as the Gipsy, Charles Fisher also in 
the cast. Graphic account of the play with the 
song Lord Bateman was a Noble Lord. The 
Grand Opera House built by Samuel Pike, open- 
ed 1868, then called Pikes Opera House, acquired 
by James Fick, Jr., 1869, now owned by Gould 
family. The Fifth Avenue Theatre in Twenty- 



xxvi CONTENTS 

fourth Street opened 1867 by Christys Minstrels. 
Subsequently used by Leffingwell, John Broug- 
ham and Augustin Daly. "Frou, Frou," "Man 
and Wife," "Divorce," "Hazel Kirke," "The 
Rajah" were all played here. Burned down in 
1873 and rebuilt. Steele McKay manager for 
some time. Theatre at 728 Broadway erected 
by A. T. Stewart on site of Unitarian Church. 
Lucy Rushton opened it, then by the Worrell Sis- 
ters who called it the New York Theatre. Mark 
Smith and Dan Harkins managed it for some 
time. Later Harrigan and Hart took it and met 
with great success. Called it Theatre Comique, 
subsequently called Streets of Old London. Later 
taken by Daly and called Dalys New Fifth Ave- 
nue Theatre. "Alixe." "New Magdalene," and 
"Under the Gaslight" played here. Hope Chapel 
altered to a theatre. Davenport Brothers and 
Signor Blitz, Kelly and Leon, and Lena Ed- 
wards managed it at diflferent times. The Union 
Square Theatre erected by Sheridan Shook in 
1871. Managed later by A. M. Palmer. "Two 
orphans" first put on at this house. Later played 
at the Brooklyn Theatre 1876. Theatre burned 
with great loss of lives. The Park Theatre, 
Broadway and Twenty-first Street opened 1882, 
destroyed by fire before the curtain went up. 
Lillie Langtry was the star. Theatre rebuilt 
and managed by Henry E. Abbey. Oakey Hall, 
formerly Mayor of New York, appeared here in 
a play written by himself. Booth's Theatre was at 
Twenty-third Street and Sixth Avenue. Barret, 
Bangs Levick, and E. L. Davenport played at this 
house in 1876 Julius Caesar. Thalberg at hall 
on Broadway near Metropolitan Hotel (Pianist). 
• New York Hotel, St. Bartholomew's Church, 
Mercantile Library, Clinton Hall, Astor Place 



CONTENTS xxvii 

riots, McCready, Forrest, actors, Parrish Man- 
sion, Doctor John Gray, Philip Hone House and 
Hope Chapel referred to. Hoop skirts and Peep- 
ing Tom's. Brevoort House, Eighth Street and 
Fifth Avenue. Elevated road, first one erected. 
The Grecian Bend referred to. 

CHAPTER II Pp- 112— 1x6 

Prominent men met on Broadway. John Jacob 
Astor, Peter Cooper, Samuel J. Tilden, Frank 
Copcut, Dr. Townsend from Albany, also a quack 
doctor in Puritan garb, and Mark Twain, Josh 
Billings and Jeemes Pipes lecturers, and others 
noted in different ways, viz: Tom Hyer, prize 
fighter, Brown the Sexton of Grace Church, The 
Blue Man, The Lime Kiln Man, The Old Straw 
Man, The Irish Dwarf, Little Mac, and Mar- 
cus Cicero Stanley. 

The Penniman Mansion (Maison Doree). 
Roosevelt, Evarts, Grinnell, Drew and Goelet res- 
idences. Dr. Cheever's church, Spingler Insti- 
tute, Tififany store, Spingler House, Union Square 
Park, Washington Monument, Stuyvesant pear 
tree, the new Parrish residence. Dr. Mofifatt resi- 
dence, Fenian headquarters. The Everett House, 
Mrs. Haight's house. Gordon S. Burnham's, 
August Belmont's, Robert L. Stuart's, Francis 
B. Cutting's and Lenox's homes are referred to, 
also St. Germain Hotel, Flat Iron Building, Mr. 
George Irving, Washington Irving, Dr. Town- 
send, sarsaparilla fame, and the Townsend house, 
Stewart Marble Palace, Knickerbocker Trust 
Company, Rutgers School, Roman Catholic Ca- 
thedral, mentioned. Snow flake marble from 
Pleasantville, New York. Colored Orphan Asy- 
lum fire, also Draft Riot fires. The Nathan mur- - 
der. Residences of WiUiam Butler Duncan, Al- 



xxviii CONTENTS 

fred B. Darling, Mrs. Paran Stevens, Francis 
Skiddy, Hendricks Family, Mr. Schenck, Peter 
Moller, John Jacob Astor, John H. Harbeck, 
Frank Work, and the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. 

CHAPTER 12 Pp. 117— 120 

Fleetwood Park, Morrissania, MacCombs' Dam 
Bridge, Morris Manor place. Officer Isaacs at 
Bridge. Celebrated horses. John R. Gentry, Star 
Pointer, Phallas, Majolica, Phil Thompson, Lucy 
Gernent, Jay Eye See, Edward, Dick Swiveler, 
Maud S., Aldine, Early Rose, St. Julian, Rarus, 
Edwin Forest, Santa Claus, Joe Patchen, Guy, 
Steve Maxwell, Sunol, Startle, and Great 
Eastern all trotted on this track. Some owned by 
Robert Bonner, William H. Vanderbilt, Frank 
Work, Nathan Strauss and J. I. Case of Ra- 
cine, Wisconsin. Accident to Mr. W. H. Vander- 
bilt. John Murphy and Charley Green. Sleigh- 
ing carnivals by New York and Brooklyn horse- 
men on Long Island and Bloomingdale road. Carl 
Burrs at Comae, Long Island, Burnhams, The 
Abbey, Jones's Claremont, Bertholfs, Freemans, 
Atlantic Hotel, Florence's, Gabe Case's, Judge 
Smith's, Sibbon's, mentioned, also John I. Sned- 
icor's road house, East New York, and Jim Rem- 
sen's and Cale Weeks' at Jamaica. Sleigh ride 
from Love Lane. Brooklyn. Death as their 
driver. A sad ending to merriment. 

CHAPTER 13 Pp. 121— 12> 

The draft riots in New York. Fires, robl^ery and 
murder prevailed. Quelled by the Regulars. The 
State Militia absent and police powerless. Weeks- 
ville refuge for negroes. The Orange Riots on 
the 1 2th of July. Battle of the Boyne. The brown 
stone rear of the New York City Hall. Breath- 



CONTENTS xxix 

ing spots in New York, Bowling Green, Battery 
Park, Central Park, City Hall Park, St. John's 
Park, Washington Park, Union Square Park, 
Gramercy Park, Stuyvesant Park, Madison 
Square Park, Reservoir Park, Hamilton Park, 
Tompkins' Park, and Jones's Woods, all on 
Manhattan Island. 

Grand summer homes for New Yorkers on the 
Hudson River, Long Island, Staten Island, New- 
port, Rhode Island, New Rochelle and on the 
Sound shore, and summer hotels at New Ro- 
chelle, Glen Cove, Far Rockaway, New Brighton, 
Bath Beach, Fire Island, Babylon, Islip, Bergen 
Point, Passaic, West Point, Watch Hill, Sharon, 
Cooperstown, Lake George, Lenox, Saratoga, 
Ballston, Long Branch, Cape May, Old Point 
Comfort. Hotels at Long Branch and steam- 
boats. Atlantic Highlands and Lake Mahopac 
included. 

Newspapers of New York and Brooklyn. Sad 
ending of Horace Greeley. 

Short streets in New York. Names of the prin- 
cipal markets. 

CHAPTER 14 Pp. 128—130 

Relative to old grave yards. Disposal of gar- 
bage. Military organizations in New York. 

CHAPTERS 15-16 Pp. 131— 138 

Churches of most all denominations and names 
of many rectors. Locations of churches in New 
York and Brooklyn. Principal libraries in New 
York. (16) Millionaires and near millionaires. 
The Goddess of Liberty on Bedloes Island, Castle 
Williams on Governors Island, the Custom House, 
the Produce Exchange, the Field Building, the 
Bowling Green Building, the Standard Oil Build- 



XXX CONTENTS 

ing, the four bridges to Brooklyn, ten bridges 
across the Harlem River, grand apartment 
houses and hotels meet your vision at this time, 
1914. 

CONTENTS OF APPENDIX A Pp. 139—156 

"Merman" "Mermaid" "Memoirs" 

Full account of the New York gunning and fishing sports- 
men, sojourning at "Scio," Jim Smith's old hotel on the south 
side of Long Island in 1840, describing the unique bar within 
its portals, and their temporary life in the fishermen's hut 
on Fire Island. Legendary tales told by various ones of the 
party to the assembly, to pass away the evening hours. Ned 
Locus' story of the mermaid of Brick House Brook, and 
his unsuccessful pursuit of her down the stream. Daniel's 
Merman off Wanza's Flat. 

Location of bridges, old and new, in Queens County. 
Turnpike roads of the locality, as also the Massapequa Race 
Track and the three pound trout. 

Graphic reference to one of the Baymen (a native) in 
his handling of a boat at a trying moment to affect a desired 
result and how it culminated. 

The Loquacious peddler, of North Carolina sweet potatoes 
and Long Island clams described in a realistic manner. 

The lone graveyard on the highway depicted. 

The duel of Philip Hamilton with George L. Eacker at 
Weehawken in 1802, Hamilton being shot, and his death. 
Prominent resident of New York and Long Island, who acted 
as his second on the unfortunate occasion. 

CONTENTS OF APPENDIX B Pp. 157— 175 

Stools and Batteries 

sentiment ov j. cypress, jr., 1839 

Shooting wild ducks in a swamp by fowlers. Through 
their experience in the salt waters of the Great South Bay of 
long Island, having faced what damage percussion caps, bat- 



CONTENTS xxxi 

teries, and patent cartridges in the hands of skillful gunners 
have effected, wounded and crippled, the birds have gone to 
the fresh water brooks to recuperate, only to run into the 
clutches of destroyers to their well being there, by other means, 
in contra supposition to what they had expected in their 
retreat. 

Biddleize and Swartwoutize, a similitude with the bank- 
ing experiences of Biddle of Bank of United States, Phila- 
delphia, 1829 and out of existence in 1836, including the many 
duels (shootings) of the Swartwouts in 1802. 

Encomium on Jim Smith, and the Sportsman's Hotel at 
the pious neighbourhood of Jerusalem Lane and the South 
Turnpike. Babylon, the mother of miscellaneous people, is 
nine miles further east. 

Experiences encountered setting out stools, getting in the 
frail batteries, and preparing for the wholesale slaughter of 
all and any species of wild birds. 

The April fool joke of Jim Smith, on Mr. Cypress, by 
representing a stool which he had "planted" as a real bird, and 
Mr. Cypress' act and discomfiture. 

Bill enacted by the Legislature of New York at Albany 
in 1839-40, being offered by General Jones (Henry O. Floyd- 
Jones) State Senator forbidding the use of batteries in the 
Great South Bay, Long Island, for killing birds, and the 
penalty if the law is violated. 

Names of soldiers on a muster roll of Militia at Fort 
Green 1814 from Jerusalem South, Long Island. 

Copy of original patent to inhabitants of Town of Oyster 
Bay and copy of three original patents to inhabitants of Hun- 
tington, Long Island, by Colonial Governors Nicolls and 
Dongan, signed by S. Bayard, Colonial Dep. Secretary. 

Suit of Town of Oyster Bay against Jackson and Jones 
families as to ownership of meadow lands in Great South 
Bay, Long Island, in 1771. Decided by Supreme Court of the 
Colony in favor of the latter. 

Places covered by these patents in Towns of Oyster Bay 
and Huntington. 



CHAPTER ONE 

OBSERVING on many occasions in the periodicals 
of the present age, quite a number of very in- 
teresting articles descriptive of old-time places, 
scenes, and events, and of individuals who were 
in many ways connected with same in New York, Brooklyn, 
and vicinity, as also in those devoted principally to the chron- 
icling of trotting horses and their races, theatres, actors, and 
matters in general which I have greatly enjoyed perusing, 
they bringing back to me many pleasant memories, — of what 
I saw personally and heard from others, — has led me to con- 
jecture whether the limited knowledge possessed by me and 
indited would prove as interesting to the every-day reader as 
those penned by others have been to me. 

Replying to this interrogatory in the affirmative, as a lay- 
man I will endeavor in a plain way to give you my recollection 
of about fifty years ago, describing places, events, individuals, 
and celebrated trotting horses, also including a reference to the 
actors and theatres of that time in New York and vicinity,, 
as well as the old volunteer fire system of New York and 
Brooklyn. 

It is characteristic of mankind, as we all know, to havfe 
a strong inclination to glance backward and compare in a 
most marked manner the scenes of early days with those of 
the present, and to many of our eyes slightly dimming. It 
is in many cases to the disadvantage of the latter, but we 
must not flatter ourselves in this particular. Progress is the 
watchword of our time, and we must all concede that great 
strides have taken place in every branch of the world's in- 
dustry, and nowhere has it been exemplified more than in our 
old home. New York. 

/while seated on one of the rustic benches in the Battery 
Park at five o'clock in the afternoon, a few days since, my 
3 I 



2 BACKWARD GLANCES 

memory reverted to about half a century ago, and the strong 
comparison held up to my vision of that time with the present, 
as to the aspect of that locality, I can with all truth ob- 
serve. In this case it was amazingly in favor of the former. 

As I now see it, a long elevated structure obscured the 
eastern view, the Barge Office and the Aquarium the south- 
ern, while derricks, shafting, tackling, boiler houses, etc., 
etc., coupled with the entrance to the new tunnel to Brooklyn, 
and the deafening noise of machinery and the elevated road 
combined, made the strongest kind of contrast with that ol 
the peaceful spot of many years ago. It was then inclosed 
with an iron fence, large trees extended over the entire park, 
which was the breathing spot and promenade for the residents 
of the lower wards. Central Park was under way, but had not 
yet been opened for general use. It was opened in 1856-1857, 
being followed by Prospect Park, Brooklyn, in i860. 

Glancing over my shoulder, the sun is observed setting 
in the west, with its glimmer on the turbulent waves of the bay 
(in whose waters a few months later, December i860, I saw 
resting at anchor the bark "Cora" she being the last slaver 
captured by the United States), whose rays were also shown in 
an effulgent manner on the distant hills of Staten Island. A 
dense cloud of smoke is observed on the horizon, out of which 
slowly emerges that leviathan of the deep, "The Great East- 
ern," built by Brunei, lazily working her way up the North 
River to her pier at the foot of Christopher Street. This 
28th day of June, i860, she was on her maiden trip to America, 
and was surrounded by all kinds of craft crowded with people, 
while the Battery held thousands of citizens to welcome the 
largest vessel ever built, being 680 feet in length. The writer 
of this article was among them and subsequently visited the 
ship at her berth. She arrived m America again on Augtist 
2^, 1862, coming through Long Island Sound, and anchored in 
Flushing Bay, not coming to New York City. While old 
Castle Williams on Governor's Island frowns Vv'ith the many 
gims which surround its parapet, one of which is soon to be 




AWARDED BY 
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE SOCIETY 
HELD AT CASTLE GARDEN ON THE BATTERY 
NEW" YORK, OCTOBER 1846 

TO MAJOR WILLIAM JONES 

FOR THE BEST THOROUGHBRED BROOD MARE 

NAMED "EMILY GLENTWORTH". 



BACKWARD GLANCES -j 

heard as denoting the setting of the sun, at which time the flag 
is hauled down. Close by looms up that historic enclosure 
called Castle Garden, now the Aquarium. 

This quaint old brick structure was originally erected in 
1807 by the general government as a fort, the same as Castle 
Williams, being situated about three hundred yards from 
the mainland. It was called Castle Clinton, after Governor 
George Clinton, whose nephew, was DeWitt Clinton, under 
whose administration the Erie Canal was built in 1825. As a 
means of defense it was abandoned about 1820-22, and it was 
then used as a place for reception purposes, as also entertain- 
ments, concerts, fairs, etc. Lafayette was received there in 
1824; President Andrew Jackson in 1832; President John 
Tyler in 1843, ^^d Kossuth in 1851, the Federal Government 
having ceded it to the city. 

The American Institute held their fairs there in 1846, at 
which time Major William Jones, of Cold Spring Harbor, 
Long Island, who was one of the pioneers of trotting and 
running races in New York State early in the nineteenth 
century, was awarded a silver cup for the best thoroughbred 
brood mare. She was called Emily Glentworth, foaled 23d 
February, 1838, by Imported Trustee dam Princess. And at 
the twenty-third annual fair in 1850, Major Jones was award- 
ed a silver cup for the best blood mare. She was called Young 
Dove. Both of these mares were of royal pedigree and bred 
on Long Island. The first cup is now in possession of the 
writer, after whose mother the mare was named. The Young 
Dove cup is in the possession of the wife of Rear Admiral F. 
E. Chadwick of the United States Navy, the Major being the 
great-grandfather of the present owners of both cups. 

The exhibitors at these fairs were from New York City, 
Long Island, Staten Island, Westchester County, and near-by 
counties in New Jersey. Long Island generally carried ofif 
most of the prizes in the equine department of the fair. It 
was only a few months after this, on September 7th, 1850, 
when Jenny Lind sang there under the management of the great 



4 BACKWARD GLANCES 

showman, Phineas T. Barnum, when John N. Genin, the hat- 
ter under Barnum's Museum, subsequently the Astor House, 
bought the first reserved seat at the large premium of two hun- 
dred and twenty-five dollars. 

Part of the board walk was still there which led out to the 
main entrance, it being used as an emigrant depot, to which 
purpose it was appropriated in 1855. One of the last events 
in a reception way in which it figured was on September ist, 
1858, when the Atlantic Cable celebration took place, and Mr. 
Cyrus W. Field, the projector of same, landed at Castle 
Garden, received by a national salute from the forts on Gov- 
ernor's and Bedloe's Islands, where the Statue of Liberty now 
stands. He was escorted by an immense procession of the 
militia, various societies and citizens, in which the writer 
joined with the Mercantile Library Association of Astor 
Place, going up Broadway to the Crystal Palace. Here Mr. 
Field was given the freedom of the city, and presented with a 
gold box in which the documents giving him such privileges 
reposed. 

This cable was laid partly by the U. S. Man of War 
"Niagara." It being a failure, the subsequent one was simi- 
larly laid by the "Great Eastern," which turned out a great 
success. 

On the 17th following, the celebration was kept up by a 
night procession of the Volunteer Fire Department, and fire- 
works were shot off in front of the City Hall, which termin- 
ated rather disastrously, as a spark caught in the cupola and 
totally destroyed same ; but no damage of any note was done 
to the Old City Hall, except to the part mentioned. 

The bridge or walk was soon entirely obliterated by the 
filling in of earth out to the breakwater. This largely in- 
creased the size of Battery Park and made it large enough for 
a parade ground for the State militia, then under the command 
of Major-General Sandford. It also put Castle Garden on 
the mainland.\ Steamboats came up in the rear and delivered 
the emigrants, who were arriving at this Gateway of America 



BACKWARD GLANCES 5 

in hordes from both Ireland and Germany, generally coming 
in the steerage by the steamer lines. Previously they had 
arrived in the second cabin and upper decks of sailing vessels, 
which naturally limited the number emigrated ; and great also 
was the difference in time between the two means of reaching 
their destination. By steam they could cross the Atlantic in 
from twelve to eighteen days, while the packets generally 
took from five to six weeks (except in one or two cases, like 
the clipper "Flying Cloud," fast as a steamer, and clipper 
"Dreadnought," which crossed m less than thirteen and a 
half days),^that is, if they escaped the treacherous sands of 
the south shore of Long Island from Montauk Point to 
Coney Island, and the Jersey shore from Barnegat to Sandy 
Hook. Quarantine was on the east side of Staten Island, 
covering quite a large tract of land direct at the entrance of 
the Kill von Kull, which had situated upon it fine suitable 
buildings painted yellow. It was surrounded by a brick wall 
of the same color. The sailing vessels would anchor in 
the Narrows adjacent, where they would discharge their pilot, 
who had boarded them seventy-five to one hundred miles out 
at sea from one of the numerous pilot boats, which were two- 
masted schooners, strongly built and very much like a yacht 
in appearance and speed, that were owned at and cruised out 
to sea from the port of New York ; while the steamers, which 
also had to take a pilot, would run up and anchor in the North 
River. Both would deliver their human freight into steam- 
boat^ or barges to deliver at Castle Garden. 

vThe Germans, most of whom had been fairly educated at 
their birthplace, did not care to tarry in the great cities of the 
seaboard States, except to a very limited extent. The majority 
immediately started for the West, which at that time were the 
States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. 
Many of them remained in the cities of Cincinnati and Mil- 
waukee, while most of them went beyond these points to the 
more extreme West, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas and 
Colorado. The poor emigrant of that period and his descend- 



6 BACKWARD GLANCES 

ants are now the owners of the rich farming land of the 
great Middle West, as also the owners of many of the great 
mining interests there, coupled with most of the ownership 
of the immense breweries, elevators, and pork and beef pack- 
ing establishments in the cities of that part of the United 
States, also becomingi bankers and respected citizens in every 
tra4e in these cities^ 

i With tlie Irish it seemed to be different. They evidently 
had received enough experience farming on impoverished 
land not owned by them at home, that would not tend to make 
them take up another trial of the same kind on arriving m 
the new home of their adoption. They rather desired to re- 
main in the seaboard towns, although some went west with the 
Germans and took up agricultural pursuits. The majority 
preferred city life, becoming masons, builders, mechanics, and 
tradesmen generally ; acquiring ownership in a corner store 
which was used for both grocery, living, and the liquor busi- 
ness, seemed to be the height of ambition of this nationality, 
as also to get into politics and the police force ; so at one time 
fully three quarters of the police of New York City and 
Brooklyn were of Irish birth or extraction. A native M. P. 
was a rarity. The descendants of this race, however, the same 
as came over in colonial and revolutionary times, became in 
due course great lawyers, judges, mayors of cities, and gov- 
ernors of States, and our most estimable citizens. ) 

The enlarging of the Battery forced the removal of Hall's 
Baths, which had been located here many years, to an outside 
location, where it was securely held by large chain cables, as 
the current was very swift at this extreme southern point of 
Manhattan Island. These baths were quite famous, they 
formerly being owned by Dr. Rabineau and purchased from 
him by Isaac Hall, a shipchandler of Broad Street near Front, 
who resided in Montague Street, corner of Hicks, Brooklyn. 



f CHAPTER TWO 

PASSING by the west side of State Street, which was 
lined with handsome brick houses two and three 
stories in height occupied as dwelHngs and erected 
early in the nineteenth century, and going out of the 
park at the southeast entrance, leaving the host of promenaders 
and nurses with babies in carriages to their enjoyment we 
wander along South Street as far as Coenties Slip, where will 
be observed the large basin, it being occupied by canal boats. 
At this point they discharge their cargo of fiour and grain. 
No elevators were then in existence in New York City, and 
most all the large flour and grain merchants were in this vicin- 
ity. There were only a few storehouses in the Atlantic Docks 
in South Brooklyn, Laimbeer's and Masters', and Harbeck's 
on the East River front. Many of them had been located here 
for a great many years, such as Holt & Co., David Dows & 
Co., Wallace & Wicks, Sage & Co., Weeks & Douglas, Isaac 
H. Reed & Co., Harriott & Co., Theodore Perry, Tompkins 
& Co., W. H. Newman & Co., Lane & Mangam. Thos. Richard- 
son & Co., Carlos Cobb, Peter J. Nevius & Co., Hoagland & 
Bogart, Josiah M. Fisk & Co., and Jeremiah Leacraft ; while 
in the vicinity of Peck Slip and Roosevelt Street were Noah 
T. Sweezy, William R. Foster, Theodore Banks and the 
Heckers ; and at the foot of Fulton Street, Brooklyn, were the 
large Jewell Mills. The picture of these mills was considered 
so appropriate on account of the mills having been destroyed 
by fire at one time, that the design was used by the Volunteer 
Fire Department of Brooklyn on their steel engraved certifi- 
cate of membership for a new member joining the system. 

i Looking east, was seen in the distance on the long rivei 
front from Coenties Slip to Catharine Street, innumerable masts 
of the many Californian clippers and London and Liverpool 
packets, with their long bowsprits extending way over South 

7 



8 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Street, reaching nearly to the opposite side. Among these was 
the "Dreadnought," "Sovereign of the Seas," "Black War- 
rior," "W. T. Coleman," "Rainbow," "London," "Yorkshire," 
"Charles H. Marshall," "Comet," "A. A. Low," "Albert Gal- 
larin," "Challenge," "Invincible," "Surprise," "Sword Fish," 
"Jacob A. Stamler," "Liverpool," "Jeremiah Thompson," 
"Moses H. Grinnell," "Swallow," "Isaac Webb," "Victoria," 
"George Washington," "Flying Cloud," "Joseph Walker," and 
many others, including the old packet "Harvest Queen^'/ 

The "Joseph Walker" was burned at her pier at the foot 
of Market Street on the East River. Ship "Jeremiah Thomp- 
son" was totally destroyed by fire directly ofif Bedloe's Island 
in the upper bay of New York about 1861. She was loaded 
with cotton for the Liverpool market. 

V And from Old Slip to Burling Slip on South Street and 
vicinity were the stores and offices of world-renowned old 
firms of shipping merchants, such as Youngs & Co., Peter V. 
King & Co., Alsop & Co., Aymar & Co., Sutton & Co., How- 
land & Aspinwall, Dunham & Dimon, Grinnell, Minturn & 
Co., Charles H. Marshall & Co., Kermitt & Carow, Joseph 
Eneas, N. L. McCready & Co., W. F. Coleman & Co., How- 
land & Frothingham, A. A. Low & Bro., Benjamin Blossom, 
Samuel Thompson's Nephew, Sturges, Bennett & Co., Josiah 
Macy's Sons, D. & A. Kingsland & Sutton, P. Harmony's 
Nephews, Boorman, Johnston & Co., W. R. Grace & Co., 
Phelps, Dodge & Co., Maitland. Phelps & Co., Oehlrichs & 
Co., Moses Taylor & Co., Wetmore, Cryder & Co., Boyd & 
Hincken, Ship Agents, L. E. Amsinck & Co., Ship Agents and 
Importers, Peter Cooper's Glue Factory, Strong's Drug House 
in Burling Slip, Burdett, Jones & Co., auctioneers foot of Wall 
Street west side ; Henry Sheldon & Co., Grocers, Front Street ; 
Patterson & Price, Tobacco Dealers, Robert & Williams, Sugar 
Importers, Water Street near Wall ; Francis Skiddy, Sugar 
Importer, Peter Moller & Co., Sugar Refiners, Victor & 
Duckwitz, Exporters, Pearl Street near Old Slip; B. Blanco, 
Cuban Importer, same locality ; Havemeyer & Elder, Sugar 



M 



■■"a,--"--- -•' — ^' -^ i- 




^ 



WHITE HALL 

Corner of Front and IMoore Streets, New York. Built 
Ijefore \(,(A. Home of Lambert Moore, 1727 



BACKWARD GLANCES q 

Refiners, Ralph Mead & Co., Grocers, Coenties Slip, Hemen- 
way & Bevericlge, Sail Makers, Wall Street Ferry, Dutcher 
& EUerby, Hops, Pearl Street near Coenties Slip, Seguine & 
Johnson, Provisions, Water Street near Coenties Slip, Work 
& Rossiter, Provisions, Front Street near Broad, and Fred 
and Joseph Leggett, Cheese and Butter, Front Street near 
Broad, also J. W. Elwell, Ship Broker. 

The street at this point of the Battery Park was called 
Whitehall, which ran from Bowling Green to the South 
Ferry. It was afterwards widened and called Broadway. 
Close by stands out prominently the new Produce Exchange, 
on the corner of Pearl and Water Streets, facing Whitehall, 
the rear being on Moore Street. This street got its name 
by being on the site of the old White Mansion, erected by 
Peter Stuyvesant about 1661, called White Hall, which was 
the home of Lambert Moore in 1727. His wife was a daughter 
of Edward Holland, who was at one time mayor of Albany, as 
also of New York. The new Produce Exchange took the 
place of the old Corn Exchange, which was in South Street 
near Broad. The former is now the Army headquarters for 
the Eastern Department. 

Many well known horsemen were members of this associ- 
ation, and after business hours were seen behind their trot- 
ters on the old Bloomingdale road, Harlem lane, or on the 
way to the Red House track at 105th Street and Second 
Avenue ; while those who resided in Brooklyn hied for the 
Coney Island road, or the road which turned off. from Fulton 
or at Bedford to East New York, leading out to Bill Whelan's, 
Hiram Woodruff's, Hoagland's, and John I. Snedecor's hostel- 
ri^'. 

( Josiah Fisk, the great flour merchant of South Street, 
was an enthusiastic horseman. He resided in Fifth Avenue, 
where the old Brunswick Hotel formerly stood — in fact, his 
house formed part of the hotel near the corner of Twenty- 
Seventh Street. He was a pioneer in upper Fifth Avenue, 
having erected his new house on the corner of Seventieth 



lo BACKWARD GLANCES 

Street when there was hardly a residence between that point 
and Fifty-Ninth Street. His stables were in the rear of his 
house, and when you met him on the road driving his team 
of Durocs you would meet a strong competitor. Timothy 
Eastman, the big cattle dealer of a later date, had his home 
and stable directly in the rear on Seventieth Street, in which 
there were many good trotters. Other horsemen of the Ex- 
change were George Knapp and his brother Robert. They 
came from Orange County, residing in the Ninth Ward for 
many years, eventually settling on stock farms near Tarry- 
town. At one period they were of the old house of Patterson, 
Knapp & Co., pork packers, in Washington Street near Charl- 
ton Street. This was when pork packing and ham and bacon 
curing was a great industry in New York. Many of the 
principal houses in this trade were Robt. P. Getty and J. A. 
Amelung of Yonkers; Geo. D. Cragin, Beckstein & Co., Fred 
Link & Co., Jewel Harrison & Co., C. F. Mattlage, Benj. Floyd 
of Broome Street, east of Christie, William Clark on Christie 
Street near Grand, Halstead & Co., Forsyth near Houston, 
Chamberlain, Roe & Co., First Street near the Bowery, Wil- 
liam T. Marshall in Second Avenue and First Street, Richard 
Sager in First Avenue and Fifth Street, Silberhorn on Christie 
near Grand, Ferris in Elizabeth Street near Houston, Coates & 
McMillan in West 32(1 Street near Tenth Avenue, C. H. Me- 
day, Washington Street corner King, Sinclair & Co., Tenth 
Avenue and Sixteenth Street, Millerman in West Street neai 
Barclay, Rohe Bros. West 33d Street and Tenth Avenue. 
Brooklyn was represented by John Lockett &, Co. on Fulton 
Street near Orange and W. B. Barber on Columbia Street near 
Arnity. 

/ Cattle and hogs were driven through tlie streets at all 
times of the day in droves, with wagons following to pick up 
those that dropped ofif fatigued. Eventually laws were passed 
prohibiting day driving; so late at night you would frequently 
hear them coming, from side streets, even on those lined with 
brownstone houses adjacent to Fifth Avenue, on their way to 
the hog yards or slaughterhouses. , 



r 



BACKWARD GLANCES ii 



There were several slaughterhouses for hogs, cattle and 
sheep around East Houston Street, near the Bowery, but the 
majority of them were situated on the North River, foot of 
Thirty-Ninth Street, and the East River, foot of Forty-Fourth 
Street. The principal men engaged in the hog-slaughtering 
business were Tobey & Booth, Monroe Crane, Spring & 
Haynes, Charles White & Co., Bartlett & Struble, Allerton 
& Co., Stahlnecker & Co., Lippincott & Co., and Halstead & 
Co. This business began to assume such immense proportions 
that the authorities put many restrictions on same, forcing 
most of them to move away from the city. Many went to 
Communipaw, N. J., just on the bay south of Jersey City. 
Eventually this industry began to decline in New York, by the 
opening up of so many large packing plants in the middle west, 
where they could work to better advantage, as they were nearer 
their source of supply, such as Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, 
Kansas City, St. Joseph, Mo., Omaha, Neb., Cedar Rapids, 
Independence, Oskaloosa and Keokuk, Iowa. 

Having digressed a little, that is, from horses to hogs, I 
will get back to the former. 

John R. Griffith, Robert Morrison, and John G. Dale were 
all Englishmen and had some good trotters in their stables ; 
W. H. Newman, the large flour merchant of 78 Pearl Street, 
and who resided on Toad Hill, Staten Island, owned several 
good ones, which he speeded from Vanderbilt Landing on his 
way home. 

George Slauson, the wholesale grocer of Southworth, 
Slauson & Co., of 84 Pearl Street, who was from Ulster 
County, and Isaac H. Reed, flour merchant of State Street, 
who resided at the New York Hotel, could always be seen 
most every day driving a team of well matched trotters both 
in the park or on the road. 

Frank Moulton, of Woodruff & Robinson, salt dealers in 
Coenties Slip, you often met on the Brooklyn roads behind a 
speedy pair. His partners, who resided on Brooklyn Heights, 
foot of Remsen Street, were also in the van. 



12 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Horace Waldo and his relatives, Frank Fox and his 
brother, who were the American Agents of the French line of 
steamers "Arago" and "Fulton," drove on the New York roaas 
the best obtainable, as also Jacob Smull of the Inman Line. 
George F. Johnson, the large real estate owner of New York 
property, rode behind many good ones in his early days, as his 
father, Frederick Johnson, owned such celebrated trotters a» 
Jack Cade, Grey Messenger, Fred, California Damsel, Genes- 
see, Woodpecker, and others. One of the last that he owned 
was the chestnut horse Prince, who, with Walker's black 
mare May Bird as mate, trotted on the old Fleetwood track 
in its early days in one of the greatest team races that ever 
took place, their competitors being Clara G. and New Berlin 
Girl, owned by James Breslin and driven by Dan Mace ; Lady 
Dahlman and Charley Green, driven by John Murphy; and 
a team from Poughkeepsie, Uncle Dave and Mate. Uncle 
Dave was a roan rat tail, not much of a looker. John Doty, 
who drove Prince and May Bird, won the race in three straight 
heats. May Bird was subsequently sold to Robert Bonner. 
Woodpecker I would also refer to particularly. He was a 
rather small black stallion, coming originally from Canada, 
and was trained by Wood Conklin at Huntington, Long Lsland. 
I well remember this so called little horse, and great was the 
rivalry between him and the little chestnut stallion Ploughboy, 
who was owned at one time by George Hunt of Brooklyn, as 
also by Lambert Suydam of Brooklyn. He was driven and 
trained by the brother in law Seaman, or Charlie Sammis, who 
lived at the corner of Main and Washington Streets, Hemp- 
stead. Each of these horses had the strongest kind of parti- 
zans among Long Islanders. They were about even as to 
speed, and many matches were made. But they never mater- 
ialized, as one or the other would pay forfeit, something would 
happen, lameness or sickness. 

' Wandering around Bowling Green on the south side, fac- 
ing the enclosed fountain, the New York Custom House now 
occupying the site, stood five or six brick houses with peaked 



BACKWARD GLANCES 13 

roofs with dormer windows, which were formerly residences. 
They were occupied at this time by all large steamship com- 
panies. The Cunard Line was No. 3, the Panama Line was 
No. 5. Commodore Vanderbilt had his office on this block. 
The end house on the corner of State Street was still a 
private residence, occupied by Stephen Whitney. The British 
Consulate's headquarters were m the building 15 and 17 
Broadway. It had two iron lions in front, one on each side of 
the stoop entrance. They are still there. This property be- 
longed to William H. Guion, of the Guion Steamship Line, 
who sold it to the Mr. George F. Johnson previously men- 
tioned, since resold by him. The Stevens House, formerly 
Delmonicos, was close by on the corner of Morris Street, pa- 
tronized largely by Englishmen. The office of the Collins Line 
was at 64 Wall Street. E. K. Collins was the principal owner 
and agent. It was the rival line to the Cunard Company to 
Liverpool, being an American Company. Among its side- 
wheel steamers were the "Atlantic," "Baltic," "Arctic," "Pa- 
cific," and "Adriatic." The last one was built by George 
Steers, the great drydock shipbuilder. She was the queen of 
the fleet. The "Arctic" was lost ofif the coast of Newfound- 
land, Cape Race, on September 27, 1854, being run into by 
another steamer, the French steamship "Vesta," Captain Du- 
chesne. Many lives were lost. Captain Luce, commander of 
the "Arctic," was saved after experiencing many hardships. 
In his latter years he was employed by one of the large 
marine insurance companies as inspector, the Atlantic or the 
Great Western. 

The "Pacific" was also lost. No tidings have ever been 
heard of her. On her last trip to Liverpool, the writer took 
some late letters and gave them to the purser on board of 
her. On the return trip the latter part of January, 1856, with 
one hundred and eighty passengers, she was lost. Her dock 
was at the foot of Canal Street, North River, and at that 
period the sailing of a steamer was a great event, friends bid- 



14 BACKWARD GLANCES 

ding each other good-by as if they never expected to set 
them again after an ocean voyage. 

The Cunard Line seemed to be the most successful one. 
Among tlieir steamers were the "Africa," "Asia," "Persia," 
"Arabia," and "Russia," and for many years they were rep- 
resented in New York by Sir Edward Cunard, and later by 
Mr. C. G. Francklyn. Their pier was at the foot of Mont- 
gomery Street, Jersey City, N. J. 

The Inman Line came into existence at a later date, and 
was represented here by John G. Dale at 13 Broadway. Jacob 
Smull and Robert M. Floyd had charge of their freight de- 
partment. Their pier was at the foot of Charlton Street, 
North River. Among their steamers were the "City of Balti- 
more," "City of Glasgow," "City of London," "City of Liver- 
pool," "City of Cork," "City of Limerick," "City of Boston," 
"City of Washington," "City of Edinburgh," "City of Phila- 
delphia," "City of Paris," "City of Manchester," and "City of 
New York." The* "City of Glasgow" and the "City of Bos- 
ton" were lost at sea and never heard from, the latter being 
lost in 1870. The former 1854. 

The docks of the coastwise steamers wxre on the North 
River from the foot of Morris Street up, such as the Norfolk, 
Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, and Havanna lines. 
Among them were the steamers "Savannah," "Jamestown," 
"Georgia," "Star of the West," "Black WVrior," "Nashville," 
"Morning Star," "Evening Star," "Charleston," "Alabama," 
"Florida," "Huntsville," "Central America," and "Augusta." 
Of these side wheel steamships, the "Star of the West," of 
the New Orleans line, Captain McGowan in command, will 
go down in history with the greatest record. This boat was 
selected by the War Departmenr of the United States Gov- 
ernment, in January, 1861, to take supplies and an increase to 
the garrison stationed at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor; 
which was very small and unable to defend same, being under 



'For Philadelphia. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 15 

the command of Major Robert Anderson. This fort was 
surrounded by Confederate batteries, so no rehef could be 
obtained from the mainland. The foregoing mentioned left 
New York on January 5, 1861, with some two hundred men 
and officers, arriving at Charleston, S. Car., on January 9th 
A. M. She was fired upon from Fort Moultrie and batteries 
on Morris Island and hit twice, and although not damaged 
to any great extent, it caused her commander to stop and re- 
treat, heading for New York, where she arrived back January 
12, 1861, witliout fulfilling her mission. Some of the other 
boats were used in the service of both sides during the Civil 
War in various capacities, except the "Evening Star" and 
"Central America," which were lost at sea on voyages from 
Havanna to New York. Captain Herndon was in command 
of the latter. Pie was lost, with many others, September 12, 
1857. His monument is in the Naval Academy grounds at 
Annapolis, Maryland. Many lives were lost by the sinking of 
the "Evening Star," October 3, 1866. Billy Birch, the noted 
minstrel, was among those saved in a sensational manner, 
which gave him quite a notoriety at the time. 

The Albany boats went from the foot of Canal Street. 
The grand night boats of that tmie were the "New World" 
and the "Isaac Newton." My first trip to Albany on the 
former in 1858 was the event of my life, my bunk being in 
the hold forward, used for the dining room. The berths were 
all around the sides and back of the tables, with very little 
ventilation. . The day boat to Rondout and Kingston and in- 
termediate places was the "Mary Powell." She got the reputa- 
tion of being the fastest boat on the river, which was kept up 
for many years. The night boats were the "Thomas Powell," 
"Hasbrouck," and "Rondout." 

On the East River were the docks of the New Haven, 
Hartford, and Bridgeport night boats. They left from the 
foot of Peck Slip. The boats were called "Traveller," "City 
of Hartford," "City of New Haven," "Elm City," "Granite 
State," "Empire State," and "Continental." While the day 



i6 BACKWARD GLANCES 

boats running to Sands Point, Glen Cove, Oyster Bay, and 
Cold Spring Harbor, left from the same locality, such as the 
"Croton" and the "Seawanaka," the latter being burned in 
Hell Gate just at the entrance of the Harlem River, where she 
was run ashore. Many lives were lost in this disaster. The 
"T. B. Arrowsmith" also belonged to this line. 

The Harlem boats were quite a feature of rapid transit, 
for if you took the horsecars, it would take you fully two and 
a half hours to get to Park Row or back lo Harlem ; while the 
Harlem boats, which left Peck Slip every half hour, would get 
you there before you knew it. The crack boats of this line 
were the "Sylvan Stream," "Sylvan Shore," "Sylvan Glen," 
"Sylvan Dell," and "Harlem." Their docks in Harlem wert- 
at East ii6th Street, East i22d Street, and Third Avenue 
Bridge on the Harlem River, where you took the boat "Tiger 
Lily" for 1 [igh Bridge. That part of Harlem in those days, 
viz., Pleasant Avenue and the side streets, was very choice, 
and property east of Third Avenue was really worth double to 
that of West side. This was in the late sixties. 

The "Old Colony," "Stonington," "Newport," "Fall 
River," "Providence," and "Bristol" ran at the same time from 
the foot of Warren Street to Fall River, Newport and Provi- 
dence. 

The Ward Line, New Orleans & Galveston steamers 
ran from the foot of Wall Street, East River, and the Mallory 
Line from the foot of Burling Slip. 

A European steamer's arrival was first heralded by the 
newsboys, who appeared upon the street about two hours af- 
ter they cast anchor, with a one-sheet newspaper, generally 
the "New York Herald," edited by James Gordon Bennett, 
whose printing office was in Nassau Street, northwest corner 
of Fulton street, or the "Evening Post," corner of Nassau and 
Liberty, William Cullen Bryant, editor. They appeared with 
a large heading, marked Extra — Arrival of the "Ba/ltic," 
"Atlantic," "Asia," "Arago," or others of the three steamer 
lines then in existence. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 17 

The blazing headlines gave in a very few words the latest 
foreign news. The price of the extra was six pence. This 
way of letting the people know of the latest European news 
was kept up until the Atlantic cable came into existence. 
Quite well do I remember the anxiety of some New-Yorkers 
to get the latest news during the storming of Sebastopol in 
the Crimean War between England and Russia, until the fall 
of that stronghold, September 9, 1855, after a long siege. 
Also of the latest news from India, November 17, 1857, when 
the English garrison was relieved at Lucknow, where Sir 
Henry Haverlock was penned up and Sir Colin Campbell came 
to the rescue during the Sepoy Rebellion in India. 

The mails were taken to the Post Office in Nassau Street, 
between Cedar and Liberty (Old Dutch Church). Long lines 
were formed, extending from about fifteen delivery windows 
clear out into the street. After a patient wait of nearly an 
hour, the mails would be assorted and put in the various boxes 
belonging to the banks and mercantile houses ; then the shut- 
ters or gates would all open at a signal, and the letters and 
papers delivered. Postage was quite an item, and those apply- 
ing for their mail were freely supplied with silver or gold, as 
the letters were weighed and cash paid on delivery. Many 
bankers and merchants paid as high as five to twenty dollars 
postage at the first delivery and more later on. No bills of any 
kind were received by the Post Office. Only gold and silver 
passed muster, and a man those days had to carry a Thomp- 
son Bank Note Reporter in his pocket to consult before he 
would accept a bill, to find out if it was good. 



CHAPTER THREE 

THE old Washington Hotel (formerly the Kennedy 
Mansion) stood on the corner of Broadway and 
Battery Place, the Field Building now occupying 
the site. It was a great place for Produce Ex- 
change members to dine in the late fifties and early sixties, j 
I met many of them there on many occasions, among them 
Thomas Richardson, George D. Cragin, the great pork packer, 
and members of the Kingan and Sinclair firms, who were en- 
gaged here as Irish packers, representing Belfast provision 
houses ; Thomas Harrison, of Jewell, Harrison & Co., and 
William H. Popham, who resided at Scarsdale. Both of these 
gentlemen were horse fanciers. On Beaver Street, near Broad, 
was the fire company (volunteer system). Mechanic Hose 
No. 8. John Rouse of the old pork inspectors on the Produce 
Exchange was foreman of this company. Corner of Broad 
and Beaver was the large ducking and sail-making material 
house of Fox & Polhemus. Harry Polhemus of this firm was 
an old Brooklynite, being at one time a member of Pacific 
Engine Co. No. 14, of the old volunteer fire department, whose 
house was in Pierrepont Street, near Fulton. He always drove 
a trotter or team of same on the Coney Island plank road, hav- 
ing in his stable many speedy ones to select from. 

Other members of that grand old fire company who were 
enthusiastic horsemen were William A. Fowler, who at one 
time was connected with the large rice dealing concern of 
Talmadge & Co, in Water Street, near Old Slip. He was 
subsequently Commissioner of Public Works in Brooklyn. 
Also Frederick S. Massey, Joseph Leggett, Frederick Aymar, 
Lewis Howard, and in later days Smith C. Baylis and Eddie 
O'Flyn. 

Frank Howard, who was with Spoflford, Tileston & Co., 
corner of Morris Street and Broadway, who were agents of 

18 



BACKWARD GLANCES 19 

the Charleston and Havanna steamers before the war, owned 
many good horses, which he drove on the Brooklyn roads 
when Hicks Post's roadhouse was in the woods just off Flat- 
bush Avenue, now Prospect Park, and Mort Tunison's (By 
Jimmy Neddy) was at Parkville on the Coney Island road, 
two of the great roadhouses of that locality, including Ben 
Nelson's on the Flatbush road. Mr. Howard was the owner 
of the fast gelding called Snake (Rattle Snake). He was 
matched against William Park's roan horse Red Jacket. The 
race was trotted over the Union Course, Long Island, being 
won by Snake. Mt. Howard also owned a bay mare which 
he bought from F. J. Nodine, called the Clay mare. It was 
an overnight purchase, and when the buyer called for his mare 
the next day to be hooked up for a drive, another mare was 
substituted, which very naturally the purchaser would not 
stand for, and a lawsuit of long endurance followed. In the 
interim the mare was taken from Mr. Nodine's stable one 
night, which was on Pierrepont Street near Fulton, and put 
in Evart Snedecor's stable in Boerum Street near Fulton 
Avenue, where the courthouse now stands. She was so dis- 
guised in her appearance that the two detectives — I believe 
they were Messrs. Frost and Denton — who were looking for 
her could not recognize her. 

This unpleasant matter came to a disastrous end, as she 
was found dead in her stable one morning after only a few 
days' sojourn in her new home. It was the general impres- 
sion that some enemy of Mr. Howard's had poisoned her. 
I saw her remains, and can distinctly remember the deep 
feeling engendered among the horsemen of the day at the sad 
ending of this valuable mare. 

\^ Sieghortner's restaurant was in Pearl Street directly op- 
posite Coenties Slip. Seymour Burrell, who was in the butter 
and cheese trade in close proximity, drove a good team on 
the Brooklyn roads, as also Maynard Thorne in the lighterage 
business on Water Street near Coenties Slip. He was the 
grand uncle of Tommy Murphy, the popular and proficient 



20 BACKWARD GLANCES 

r 

driver of to-day. Delmonico's was in Beaver Street, corner ot 
South William, where it is at the present time. LorenzO' 
Delmonico was often seen on the New York roads behind a 
good pair of trotters. The Stock Exchange was in the center 
of the block (Lord's Court), with entrances on William 
and Beaver Streets, part of the building being on the latter 
street. Many of the members were trotting-horse men, such as 
George Alley ; Commodore Dodge, of Clark, Dodge & Co., his 
residence being on State Street corner of Garden, Brooklyn,, 
with his stables adjoining; James Bache, who also resided in 
Brooklyn, where he kept his horses ; August Belmont, whose 
office was in Wall Street near William, always had many good 
trotters. His residence was at the corner of Eighteenth Street 
and Fifth Avenue, with stable in the rear. He wintered many 
of his stock at Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, also at 
Babylon, Long Island, where he had a large farm. William 
Parks of Brooklyn, as also Henry N. Smith, Frank Work, Jay 
Gould, Col. Fred Lawrence of Bayside, L. I., and William 
Rockefeller, were prominent horsemen. 

I In Exchange Place, on the north side of the street, near 
Witliam Street, was the dry goods house of William Watson 
& Co. They subsequently removed to Park Place Corner of 
Church Street, on part of the eld site of Columbia College 
before this institution removed to Madison Avenue and Forty- 
ninth Street; Robert and William Watson, Jr., were brought 
up in this house, and before and during the early days of 
Fleetwood the latter drove many good horses in company with 
that genial and much respected horseman, David Bonner ; also 
with Col. Kip, Sheppard F. Knapp, Pierre Lorillard and Peter 
Moller. Janesville belonged to William Watson and was quite 
a speedy horse. John Waller, who was in the dry goods trade 
with the house of Paton & Co., on the west side of Broad 
Street, near Wall, where the Stock Exchange now stands, and 
who married a daughter of James Nye who was a member of 
the first police commission under the metropolitan system of 
New York and later territorial gfovernor of Nevada before it 



BACKWARD GLANCES 21 

became a State, was a trotting hoi se enthusiast and drove some 
good ones in Brooklyn and later in New York. Frank Baker, 
who had an exchange office in the basement corner of Wall 
and Broad Streets, the site now being occupied by J. P. 
Morgan & Co., owned Ethan Allen, while his brother owned 
Honest Allen. Ethan Allen was a grand animal in every re- 
spect. He was sired by Morgan's Black Hawk (or Flying 
Morgan) out of a Messenger mare. He trotted in 2:34^ 
and was exhibited in Niblo's Garden in 1863-64. 

I Other celebrated restaurants was an oyster house kept by 
the negro George Downing, in the basement of No. 3 Broad 
Street, it being considered the best of its kind, and many prom- 
inent men of that day could be seen there at lunch hour, such 
as Jacob Little, the Quaker stock-broker ; James B. Glent- 
worth, tobacco inspector for the United States ; Jacob Barker, 
also a Quaker; Fitz Green Hallock, John H. Coster, Stephen 
Whitney, Josiah Macy, Erastus Brooks, Wilmerding, the 
auctioneer; Albert H. Nicolay and Anthony J. Bleecker, real 
estate brokers ; Francis B. Cutting, the great lawyer ; Jacob 
Hays and his brother William, who lived at Inwood where 
the Abbey now is and had a stable full of horses ; and David 
Dudley Field, the great lawyer. Downing resided on Mercer 
Street near Houston, and was a great caterer for all kinds of 
entertainments. 

Pettit, of Pettit & Crooks' eating house in Water Street 
near Pine, and David Goold, who had a restaurant in Nassau 
Street where the Bank of Commerce now is, were drivers on 
the Brooklyn roads. Among other good restaurants was the 
Auction Eating House in Water Street near Wall, kept by 
George W. Brown ; Clark & Brown's in Maiden Lane near 
Liberty Street; Windust's, 13 Park Row. Over the entrance 
was the motto "Nunquam non paratus." The cheaper ones, 
such as Meschutts', Mrs. Weeks', Jones', and Belmont House 
in Fulton Street, were in the same vicinity. These were all 
downtown eating houses. Clark & Brown's I will describe 
more minutely. The dining room was a large one. being the 



22 BACKWARD GLANCES 

place where you could get the very best roast beef, rare, cut 
in thick slices, or a beefsteak about warmed through, English 
plum pudding, and a mug of the best half-and-half. This 
place was known as an English chophouse and was patronized 
by Yorkshire men. The tables were really in pews, as you 
were enclosed by a high back, and could not observe who was 
in the adjoining box. Windust's was a great place for actors 
to take their meals, such as young Tom Hamblin, Ed Forrest, 
and the Booths, as also Fernando Wood, Henry Ward Beecher, 
and Thurlow Weed. The first being Mayor of New York, 
the second the eminent Brooklyn preacher, and the third a 
prominent Republican politician. I heard Henry Ward Beech- 
er in about 1887 preach one of his last sermons in the parlor 
of the Grand Pacific Hotel, Clark Street, Chicago, 111. The 
St. George Cricket Club was formed at Clark & Brown's, 
composed of English residents. I dined here with my father 
as a boy and later as I advanced toward manhood. The 
grounds of the Cricket Club were on Staten Island, close to 
the New York Yacht Club House, in front of which you 
would see resting at anchor the low rakish sloop yacht "Maria" 
or the "Julia," owned by John Stevens of Hoboken, in close 
proximity to the "Rambler," "Wanderer," "Rebecca," "Comet," 
W. H. Langley, owner, "Vesta," "Fleet Wing," George Os- 
good, owner, and "Henrietta," the latter and the "Rebecca" 
owned by James Gordon Bennett, Jr. The "Henrietta" gained 
great prominence in 1866, winning the great ocean yacht race 
from Sandy Hook to the Needles, off the Isle of Wight, for 
a stake of $90,000, December 11, 1866. It was between the 
"Henrietta," "Fleet Wing," and "Vesta." The match was 
made by George and Franklin Osgood and Pierre Lorillard. 
The "Fleet Wing" arrived second and the "Vesta" third. 
Great interest was taken by every one until the result was 
heralded. 

V Guerin's, a French pastry cook shop, was on Broadway 
between Pine and Cedar Streets, No. 120, and was largely 
patronized, as was also Hitchcock's on Park Row. Blanks Ger- 



B..CKWARD GLANCES 23 

man Bakery was in Cedar Street just west of Broadway on 
the south side. John Davidson had a bakery at the corner of 
Broad and Stone Streets, where you could get a good piece of 
pie for sixpence and a glass of milk for three cents. This 
was in 1855-60. Crook & Duff's, which was quite a celebrated 
eating house, came into existence later, and was on Park Row 
in the Times Building. It was patronized largely by politicians 
and employees of the public departments in that vicinity, as 
also Leggett's and Sweeney's. Smith & McNeil's fed the 
Washington Market butchers and others in their restaurant 
on Washington Street opposite the market. Milton Sweet 
catered to the Fulton Market butchers and many Brooklyn 
people at his dining rooms at the corner of Fulton and South 
Streets. Farrar & Lyon's saloon being next door on South 
Street. Berry's Dining Rooms, also of a later date, were 011 
Broad Street where the Mills Building is at present. Suther- 
land in Liberty Street near Nassau. Cable was an employee 
of the latter. He opened a restaurant for himself on Broad- 
way near Cedar Street, also a hotel at Coney Island, in which 
it was said the Culver Road was interested. He made a great 
success of this place, as it was really the pioneer of making 
Coney Island regenerated. Felter kept the Oceanic at the end 
of the Shell Road just over the bridge. There was another 
house where you could get good clams, fish, and oysters near 
the shore — Thompson's. These were really the only two 
houses of any account kept open to the public on that part of 
Coney Island until the advent of Tom Cable. The west end 
of the Island was considered a rough place to go. It was called 
later Norton's Point, as Mike Norton, a New York politician, 
opened a hotel here, and the boats from New York made their 
landing, there being no other landing place for steamboats 
on the Island. 

There was also quite a celebrated place which had an en- 
trance on Wall Street, really a hallway about three feet in 
width, which was in the rear of the building at the corneB 
of Broad, it having an exit on Broad Street next to No. 3. 



24 BACKWARD GLANCES 

It was the celebrated retail soda water place of A. J. Delatour. 
In the summer time you would often see a line formed on 
Wall Street fully fifty feet in length awaiting their turn to 
reach the fountain. The glasses were kept in tubs of ice, with 
only one valve to draw from, syrups being kept in bottles. One 
man poured out the syrup while the other drew the soda water, 
it being the very best. After drinking your long glassful you 
would eijierge out of the other narrow entrance into Broad 
Street. /A, J. Delatour was a horse lover and had a fine 
country place at Bayside, Long Island. The Delatour business 
is now owned by that prominent and liberal horseman, Mr. 
A. C. Schuyler, of the New York Driving Club. 

Jauncey's Court was directly east of Delatour's, being 
filled with offices for lawyers. No. 35 Wall Street was the 
office of the Mercantile Mutual Marine Insurance Co. Elwood 
Walter, an old Brooklyn Quaker, was the president ; Charles 
Newcomb, vice president ; Archie Montgomery, who resided 
at Whitestone, Long Island, was second vice president, he be- 
ing succeeded by Alanson Wilson Hegeman ; C. J. Despard 
being the secretary. On the corner of William Street was the 
office of the great Atlantic Mutual Insurance Co., the largest 
in America. John D. Jones was the president; diaries Dennis 
of Brooklyn, vice president; W. H. H. Moore second vice 
president ; Townsend Jones being secretary. Across the hall in 
the same building, which was 51 Wall Street, were the offices 
of the Sun Mutual Insurance Company, Moses H. Grinnell 
being its president ; Mr. Seton, vice president. On the corner 
of William and Cedar Streets were the offices of the New York 
Mutual Insurance Co. Thomas B. Saterthwaite was the presi- 
dent ; James Lyle, vice president. The Great Western Mutual 
Insurance Co. was around on Pine Street between William 
and Nassau. Richard Lathers, who resided at New Rochelle, 
was the president of same ; Mr. Coxe, vice president. '" The 
New York Fire and Marine was in Wall opposite Hanover, 
these being the only American marine insurance companies 
in New York. Brown Bros. & Co., Bankers, were on the 



BACKWARD GLANCES 25 

corner of Hanover, where they are at this dat^ L. von 
Hoffman & Co., the German bankers, were in the Post Build- 
ing, corner of Exchange Place and Hanover. The Office of 
the "Journal of Commerce" was on the corner of Beaver and 
Hanover Streets. Wotherspoon, Kingsford & Co., as also 
John T. Adams, cotton brokers, had their offices in the Post 
Building, while S. Munn, Son & Co., in the same trade, were 
at 122 Pearl Street, and Eastons, Cahoone & Kinney were at 
the corner of Wall and Pearl; W. H. Draper and Minturn & 
Partridge, auctioneers, were on Hanover Square, Brown & 
Secomb being the successors of the latter. ; The Hanover Bank 
was on the corner of Stone Street in the- Hanover Building, 
while the Bank of Commerce was on the corner of Broad 
Street and Exchange Place, where the Johnson Building now 
is. Thomas B. Cummings' hardware store was at the corner 
of Pearl Street and Old Slip, and Winslow Lanier & Co., 
Bankers, were in Wall Street nearly opposite Hanover, toward 
William Street. 

The Merchants' Exchange was built of granite with im- 
mense pillars in front, and faced on Wall Street, covering the 
whole block between William and Hanover, the rear being on 
Exchange Place. It was occupied by the Custom House when 
they removed from the present United States Treasury Build- 
ing. It is now owned and occupied by the City National 
Bank, the largest bank in America. 

Hammond had a jewelry, clock and watch store on the 
William Street side of the Merchants' Exchange. You could 
always set your watch the correct time at this place, which be- 
came quite celebrated. Tlie Bank of New York was on the 
corner of Wall and William, Charles P. Leverich of Newtown, 
Long Island, being its president. The Bank of America, Union 
Bank, and Bank of North America and Merchants Bank on 
the next block up north side of Wall Street. On the south 
side were the Phoenix Bank, the Shoe and Leather and the 
Mechanics. The Marine Bank was on the corner of Pearl and 
Wall- the Seaman's Savings Bank being on the opposite cor- 



20 BACKWARD GLANCES 

ner. The Eleventh Ward Bank was at the corner of Pearl 
and Burling Slip. The Bank of the Stale of New York was 
at the corner of William and Exchange Place. The Ohio 
Life and Trust Co. was on the southeast corner of William 
and Exchange Place. Carpenter & Vermilye were in the 
basement of the B^ank of North America, Manhattan Bank 
being next door, j 

The great financial storm in the autumn of 1857 was 
precipitated by the suspension of *this company on the 24tli 
of August, for the immense sum of seven million, dollars. 
Their downfall was followed by the closing of the Philadel- 
phia Bank. There followed a general suspension of banks in 
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland and the District of 
Columbia ; in fact, a panic was on the whole country, j The 
New York Legislature authorized the suspension of pay- 
ments in all banks in the State for one year. This measure 
tended to restore confidence, and the banks in New York City 
and Brooklyn resumed payment at Christmas. The estimated 
amount of failures throughout the States amounted in liabili- 
ties, it was said, reaching fully three hundred million dollars. 



*Ohio Life and Trust Company. 



k CHAPTER FOUR 

ESUMING the tramp, we pass the Custom House 
on the corner of Nassau and Wall Streets (now the 
United States Treasury) and the tall Callender 
building on the northwest corner of Wall and Nas- 
sau Streets, which was occupied principally by lawyers, also 
being the headquarters of the "Morning Express," edited by 
James and Erastus Brooks. This brick building was subse- 
quently torn down and a grand marble edifice erected on the 
site. Jay Cooke & Co., the great bankers of war time days, had 
their offices on the Wall Street side of the new building. It 
was not long, however, before this was found too small for 
the site and was again demolished, a skyscraper being erected ; 
but even this was found too contracted, and a new thirty-story 
structure now covers the site, and is high enough to remain 
there for a few years at least, the Bankers' Trust Co. being 
the owners. 

Adjoining the old building was the Continental Bank, and 
next door was the banking house of Duncan, Sherman & Co., 
on the corner of Nassau and Pine Streets, where the Hanover 
Bank is now located ; and the Bank of the Republic on the 
corner of Wall Street and Broadway, the president of which 
was Robert Soutter, who lived at Astoria, and R. H. Lowery, 
the cashier, who lived in Henry Street, Brooklyn, including 
the paying teller, Mr. Henry Ford. All of these gentlemen had 
valuable horses in their stables. 

Just a few doors north of Wall Street was located for 
many years what was called a Mock Auction place. There 
was also one just below Wall, and there were two on Park 
Row near Ann Street and several on Chatham Street and the 
lower part of Cortlandt Street. Watches were put up at auc- 
tion, and a stool pigeon was at the door looking out for 
victims, generally countrymen. H one came in sight, great 
activity was immediately shown by spirited bidding, and if 

27 



28 BACKWARD GLANCES 

they got him in a sale was made, a brass watch was sub- 
stituted for the one put up for sale, which was a good one 
used as a decoy. It was a wonder that the authorities ever 
allowed these thieving places to exist, but they had a pull 
somewhere. 

Lane, Lamson & Co. were on Broadway at the corner 
of Cedar Street, Bowen & McNamee being in the same block. 

The principal real estate auctioneers were Anthony J. 
Bleecker, Albert J. Nicolay, Adrian H. MuUer, and P. R. 
Wilkins & Co., while Wilmerding & Mount, and Ruderow, 
Jones & Co., the latter at the corner of William and Liberty 
Streets, were the principal drygoods auctioneers. John Ander- 
son had a tobacco store at the corner of Pine Street and 
Broadway, southeast corner, over which a wooden statue of 
Sir Walter Raleigh stood. The American Surety Company 
now stands on this site. John Anderson owned the site of the 
Plaza Hotel, Fifty-ninth Street and Fifth Avenue. The fur 
trade was carried on in Maiden Lane and the lower part of 
Broadway, Gunther being the first one to go uptown to Fifth 
Avenue and Twenty-third Street, close to James Bell, the 
fashionable tailor. 

Passing Trinity Church, in the churchyard of which had 
been erected in 1852 a monument to the soldiers of the prison 
ships of the Revolution, also one to the dead of 42 engine 
(old volunteer system). These were close to the grave of 
the ill-fated Charlotte Temple, an English girl who was found 
murdered in a bawdy house in Thomas Street, also the 
monuments of Captain James Lawrence of the United States 
Frigate "Chesapeake" and of Robert Fulton and Alexander 
Hamilton. All of these can be seen at the present day. It 
was said that the soldiers' monument was placed in that part 
of the yard so as to prevent the city authorities from cutting 
through same and extending Pine Street to the North River. 

On the corner of Rector Street, running back to Trinity 
Place, stood the large brownstone drygoods house of J. R. 
Jaffray, who had a stable full of horses at his place on the 



BACKWARD GLANCES 29 

Hudson. This house afterwards removed to the northeast 
corner of Leonard Street and Broadway. / 

The hat and cap trade was in lower Broadway. Mr. 
Archie Finn, of Finn & Ruggles, who was a great Long 
Island trout fisherman, and George Osbom, of Osborn & May 
drove on the road the very best obtainable. Mr. Osborn came 
from Danbury, Conn. His daughter married Mr. Abraham Mil- 
ler, who formerly resided in Buffalo, and who owned the fast 
one Genteel H., that came down the circuit in 1907 in company 
with Sonoma Girl, Highball, Wilkes Heart, Margaret O.. 
Beatrice Bellini, Lotta, Tempus Fugit, and several other 
crackerjacks. Mr. Miller died in 1912, Genteel H. went to 
New Zealand, where he died in 191 1. 

Henry R. Pierson's iron yard was on Broadway just 
above Beaver Street. The Standard Oil Building is now on 
the same site. The PubHc Stores (U. S.) were on the south- 
east corner of Exchange Place and Broadway. 

There was also another large iron yard, which was in 
Broad Street, west side, corner of Marketfield Street, Thomas 
Coddington & Co. being the owners. The Abeels Iron Yard 
was on South Street, up near Roosevelt Street. 

The dilapidated brick building on the corner of Pearl 
and Broad Streets was the historical Fraunces Tavern. A 
lager beer saloon occupied the corner, junk shops in the base- 
ment, while the stores on Pearl Street were used by plumbers 
and small tradesmen in produce ; the upper part of the house 
was used for flour, hops, butter and cheese storage. This 
antiquated pile was erected by Etienne de Lancey as his city 
home. He was born at Caen, France, in 1663, and came to 
New York on June 7, 1686. He rharried Anne, daughter of 
Stephanus Van Cortlandt and Gertrude Schuyler, his wife. 
He owned a large tract of land extending from the Bowery 
to the East River, from Stanton Street to Division Street, 
which was his country residence. He died November iS, 
1741, and was buried in the family vault under the middle 
aisle of Trinity Church, nearly under the chancel. The old 
house subsequently became a hotel, and it was here that 



30 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Washington took leave of his officers on resigning command 
of the army. This old mansion is now owned and occupied 
by the Sons of the Revolution of the State of New York, it 
having been rebuilt and renovated ; and in appearance, it is 
the same as it was in Colonial times. The Eastern Hotel was 
on the corner of South and Whitehall Streets. ; On the south- 
east corner of Liberty Street and Broadway stood the large 
marble Mutual Life Insurance Co. Building, demolished m 
19 1 3, and a new edifice put up on the old site by the Guarantee 
Trust Co. of New York. Well do I remember, as a young 
lad of seventeen or eighteen, in 1859-60, calling in there with 
a check to pay for the life insurance premium of my em- 
ployer. The young man who always waited upon me and 
returned to me the receipt for same was a Mr. Henry B. 
Hyde, who was a most courteous and polite gentleman, fully 
showing that he was born and bred same. He subsequently 
founded the Equitable Life Assurance Society, which under 
his management became one of the largest in the United 
States. What a strong contrast I can depict of the above 
polished official of those days compared with many of the 
icicle upstarts put in many banks and monetary institutions 
of the present day by the influence of wealthy relatives, as 
all kinds of officers, second, third, fourth and fifth vice presi- 
dents and cashiers, and every one of them feeling that on his 
shoulders rests the whole weight of the institution. Courteous- 
ness is at a discount in this atmosphere, and a prospective 
customer leaves with the idea that he will call next door, 
where he will not encounter the glassy eye stare, and see if 
they want his business, which the frozen manner of the first 
drove away. The stockholders in this case generally turn out 
the sufferers. I can still call to mind, to carry out the truth 
of the foregoing, that the success of one of our largest 
savings banks in New York from its beginning was derivfti 
from the most polite attention of the treasurer. Every man, 
woman and child was received and treated as though they were 
doing a favor to the bank in being a depositor, and feeling 
this way, advised all their friends to open an account there. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 31 

The success of the institution, from a little two-story brick- 
banking house in Canal Street to a grand marble one uptown 
fully carries out that politeness in the long run counts for 
something. 

(On the corner of Maiden Lane stood the Howard House, 
while the new, elegant Gilsey was on the corner of Cortlandt, 
where it now exists at this writing. In the rear stood the 
Western, Pacific, National, and Merchants hotels, the Meccas 
for Jerseymen and Pennsylvanians. Old Tom's chop house 
could be seen in Temple Street opposite the Trinity Building, 
in the basement of which was the drygoods house of Claflin, 
Mellen & Co. Mr. Claflin, who resided on Kingsbridge Road, 
Fordham, in the summer time, and in Brooklyn in the winter, 
had the best that could be obtained in the trotting line. He 
always drove in from Fordham to some stable below the 
Park, returning in the afternoon, when he could see some 
of the good ones on the lane to take a chance at. 

Bowen & McNamee removed to their new marble store 
northeast corner of Pearl Street and Broadway, where the 
Citizens' Central National Bank is at this time ; S. B. Chitten- 
den & Co., a large drygoods house, moved into the old store, 
basement of iii Broadway, and on their removing to the 
drygoods district further up Broadway, the real estate auc- 
tioneers took possession of this large room in tlie Trinity 
Building, which they occupied until the old yellow brick 
edifice was demolished a few years ago. 

Knox's hat store was on the corner of Fulton Street 
and Broadway, with an all-night eating house in the base- 
ment. At a later date (in 1866) a footbridge was put across 
Broadway at this corner, according to designs of a man named 
Lowe. Mr. Knox objected to it, as it cut off the view of his 
store, and being very little used except by sightseers, it was 
removed in 1868. 

Barnum's Museum is observed on the corner of Ann 
Street. The vista from this building was considered grand, 
as it overlooked the City Hall Park, which was enclosed by 
an iron railing, there being a large fountain where the Post 



^2 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Office now stands. There were only four buildings in the 
City Hall Park at this time, viz. : the City Hall, New City 
Hall, which is the brownstone building facing Chambers 
Street, a fire company house (lately removed), and the old 
Hall of Records. (Provost Jail.) 

The whole front of the American Museum was always 
covered with startling canvas signs, depicting the great curi- 
osities within, such as the wonderful educated seal Ned ; the 
White whale, the only one ever captured ; the Woolly horse ; 
President Washington's nurse, Joyce Heth, she being a 
negress ; the Fee Jee Mermaid, a beautiful female with a 
fish's appendant, with long streaming hair, cavorting in the 
water (in the altogether, as it is called in these times). "> Among 
others was the "What is It," Tom Thumb, and the Happy 
Family, also Lavinia Warren, who became Tom's wife; Ad- 
miral Dot, who now keeps a hostelry at White Plains ; Daddy 
Lambert, the Siamese Twins, Hutchinson the Lightning Cal- 
culator, who died in 191 1. Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren, 
the famous dwarfs were married in St. Paul's Church in 
1863. Barnum made a big advertisement of the event. A 
band of five or six pieces occupied the balcony in front and 
played for hours in the middle of the day, alternating when 
the show began in the lecture room. Uncle Tom's Cabin 
being played on the stage in the lecture room, it was not 
called a theatre, as many persons objected to visiting theatres, 
but would witness a play on the stage in the lecture room. 
Kate Bateman, Susan Denin, Emily Mestayer, Qiippendale, 
Clark, Mrs. J. J. Prior, Mr. Hathaway, Mrs. Jamieson, and 
many others appeared there, in the Maiden's Vow. Hidden 
Hand, and other thrillers. Uncle Tom's Cabin was taken from 
the book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, a sister of 
Henry Ward Beecher, and it was the opinion of many Ameri- 
cans that our Civil War would not have taken place if this 
book had never been written.* It was staged at the Chatham 



*"The American Nation," "Causes of the Civil War." by Rear Ad- 
miral F. E. Chadwick, folios 59 and 148; and the "History of the 
American People," by Woodrow Wilson. Vol. iv, folio 160. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 33 

Theatre on July 18, 1853. The version that was portrayed 
was that of George L. Aiken's interpretation. He was a 
Bostonian, born in that city in 1830, and died in 1876, being 
only twenty-two years old when he dramatized the play. It 
ran for 325 performances, under the management of A. H. 
Purdy. H. J. Conway's version of the play was brought out 
at Barnum's Museum on November 7, 1853. 

The cast of the original production at the Chatham was 
G. C. Germon as Uncle Tom, George L. Aiken as George 
Harris and George Shelby (two characters), George C. How- 
ard as St. Clair, Charles R. Fox as Phineas Fletcher and 
Gumption Cute (two characters), W. J. Lemoyne as Mr. Wil- 
son and Deacon Perry (two characters), C. Leslie Allen as 
Shelby, Frank E. Aiken as Marks, John Davis as Haley and 
Legree (two characters), Cordelia Howard as Eva, Mrs. G. 
C. Germon as Eliza and Cassy (two characters), Mrs. Emily 
Fox as Ophelia, Miss Emmons as Mrs. St. Clair, Mr. G. C. 
Howard as Chloe and Topsey (two characters). Most all 
actors took two characters in a play in those days, and a 
one act farce always preceded the main drama. 

The first performance that I ever saw on the stage of a 
theatre was in Barnum's Museum. I think it was in 1849 o^ 
1850. 

The Happy Family was considered one of the most 
interesting of the many curiosities exhibited in the old museum. 
It was on the third floor, south side of the building, and con- 
sisted of a long wire cage, say about ten feet in length and 
four or five feet in width. Confined within this enclosure 
were two or three dogs, several cats, a couple of monkeys, half 
a dozen squirrels, a dozen white mice and rats, parrots, 
chickens, ducks, turkeys, quails and pheasants, also guinea- 
pigs, rabbits, turtles, snakes, frogs, robins, pigeons, etc., etc. 
It was designed to demonstrate how so many diflferent species 
of animals, fowls, birds, reptiles, etc., etc., could dwell to- 
gether in peace and unity. 

There was also in the museum a tank containing two or 
5 



34 BACKWARD GLANCES 

three alligators, a seal, a box of snakes, a whale. No bears, 
kangaroos, or lions were kept here except stuffed ones. 

A few years later, July 13, 1865, at ten o'clock in the 
morning I happened to be on Broadway near Maiden Lane, 
when I saw a sheet of flame drive out the front of this old 
curiosity shop. It proved to be a most disastrous fire, burn- 
ing the whole front on Broadway from Ann to Fulton, which 
embraced Knox's and White's hat stores, also destroying all 
buildings down Fulton Street as far as the Belmont House, 
and nearly reaching the "Herald" office on the corner of 
Nassau Street. The New York Fire Department at this time 
was just preparing to merge into the paid system. The bill 
had passed at Albany making the change, causing considerable 
demoralization in the volunteer system. The Brooklyn depart- 
ment was asked for some help, and several companies of the 
old volunteers came across Fulton Ferry, passing the white 
marble United States Hotel on the corner of Fulton and Pearl 
Streets and up to the fire. Among them was Atlantic Hose 
Co. No. I, which lay in High Street near Fulton. This com- 
pany was organized in 1835, being the oldest hose company 
in Brooklyn. Many prominent citizens were members thereof 
in its early days such as Robert Luckey, Rufus Story, Abia 

B. Thom, Thomas F. Mason, Pascall C. Burke, Lyman 
Greene, Henry Hosford. Robert Malcolm, Ira Ketchum, and 
R. W. Bigley ; while in its later days some of its well known 
members were Judge Rufus B. Cowing of New York, Henry 

C. Place, Charles S. Mason, E. G. Sheldon, W. R. Wood- 
ward, C. M. Fletcher, Thomas T. Knight ; as also Wm. H. 
Langley and George P. Merrill, drygoods merchants of 
Worth Street ; James A. Brodie, furs in Maiden Lane, J. C. 
Nicholson, Frank Arnold, J. H. Taylor, and Gunther K. 
Ackerman, formerly scribe of Tammany Hall in the days of 
John Kelly's leadership. The writer had the honor of being 
the assistant foreman of this old organization, and was in 
command of same at this fire. 

The learned seal "Ned" was saved by Clifford Pearson, a 
member of Company G, Thirteenth Regiment of Brooklyn. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 35 

He took it under his arm, and, going down Fulton Street to 
the market, put it in Alfred Dorlon's fishtrough. The old 
negress, Joyce Heth, and the "What is it," who was a half- 
witted negro, got out safely and took refuge in the negro 
quarter in Church Street, from which place they likely ema- 
nated ; while the white whale, which had a few pale spots on 
it, likely a diseased or shedding skin, and the Fee Jee mermaid, 
which was a stuffed monkey's skin and head with a dried fish's 
tail, this being in a glass case, and the woolly horse, all went 
up in smoke, although Southwark Engine Co. No. 38 and 
Humane Hose Co. No. 20, Jared A. Timpson, foreman, lay in 
Ann Street directly back of the museum; and Protection En- 
gine Co. No. 5 "Honey Bee," lay in Ann Street near William, 
and No. 14 Engine in Church Street near Fulton, in rear of St. 
Paul's Church. But the proximity of these old companies of 
volunteers could not put down this great conflagration of that 
time, which destroyed this old New York landmark and tin- 
der-box. 



CHAPTER FIVE 

JOHN DECKER was Chief of the New York Fire De- 
partment at this time and in charge of this f're. EHsha 
Kingsland was an assistant engineer, as also EH Bates, 
George Rhodes, and Bonner. These latter volunteers 
joined the paid system when it was inaugurated. Among some 
of the uptown companies was Amity Hose No. 38, which lay 
in Amity Street near MacDougal. They had a silver reel on 
their hose carriage, with silver lanterns and other silver trim- 
mings. Most all their members were bankers, merchants, or 
manufacturers. Among them was Albert Weber, the great 
piano-maker, whose factory was in the immediate neighbor- 
hood, afterwards removing to the corner of Sixteenth Street 
and Seventh Avenue, also WiUiam H. Wickham, who was 
Mayor of New York in 1874 and president of the volunteer 
fire department at one period, residing on Lexington Avenue 
and Thirty-eighth Street. John F. Giles, of Lawrence, Giles 
& Co., importers on South William Street opposite Delmoni- 
co's, also resided on Lexington Avenue near Thirty-ninth 
Street corner. Fred Ridabock and James F. Wenman, cot- 
ton brokers, on Pearl Street. 

No. 61 Hose lay in Fourth Avenue, east side, near Twen 
ty-eighth Street, New York City. No. 28 Hose lay corner of 
Fifth Avenue and Twenty-first Street, east side, next door to 
the home of Francis B. Cutting, the great lawyer. Many of 
the old chiefs you would meet daily on Broadway, such as Al- 
fred Carson, John Decker, and Harry Howard. The latter 
resided in Elm Street at the corner of Attorney, right in the 
rear of the Tombs. There was a big brass nameplate on his 
door, on which his name was engraved in large letters. He 
was decrepid the last part of his life, and was given a position 
in the Tax Office, really for charity. 

Big 6 lay in Henry Street. Bill Tweed was at one time 
foreman of this company. No. 7 Engine was the first one to 

36 



BACKWARD GLANCES 37 

have a steam engine when they came into use for fire purposes 
in 1863. It was pulled to fires by hand. There were two en- 
gines propelled by steam, the John G. Storm and the James 
G. Carey, but both proved failures. No. 36 Hose lay in Henry 
Street. Dan Slote and his brother Alonzo belonged to this 
company, also *George Miller. 

In 1865, when the change was made, and Elisha Kings- 
land appointed Chief of the paid system, a large number of 
the old volunteers went into the new department. In New 
York the only company that they did not recruit from to any 
known extent was No. 38 Hose ; and in Brooklyn when the 
change was made in that city to the paid department in 1868- 
69 every company was represented except Atlantic Hose Co. 
No. I, of whose membership not a solitary one took any posi- 
tion in the paid system. 

In 1 86 1, the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department, which 
was considered a very efficient one, had about 1450 members. 
William H. Furey was chief engineer, and a very capable one. 
He was succeeded by John Cunningham, who remained chief 
until the paid system came into existence, which was in 1868- 
69. Among some of the well known old companies of this 
department was Washington Engine Co. No. i, Patrick Leahy, 
foreman. It lay in Prospect Street near Main Street. Frank- 
lin Engine Co. No. 3, Robert Barr, foreman, Henry Street 
near Pineapple (Firemen's Hall). No. 2 Engine lay in South 
Brooklyn, William Vanderveer, foreman. Eagle Engine Co. 
No. 4, High Street near Fulton, Frank Spinola, foreman. He 
was afterwards quite a prominent Congressman. No. 5, 6 and 
7 Engines lay in the Navy Yard district. Pacific No. 14 lay 
in Pierpont near Fulton Street, Isaac Leggett, foreman. Sub- 
sequently Fred S. Massey and Smith C. Baylis were at the 
head of this company. Brooklyn Engine No. 17 lay in Jay 
Street near Myrtle Avenue, William Burrell, foreman. No. 9 
Engine lay in Carlton Avenue, Seaman Searing, foreman. No. 
19 Engine lay in Pacific Street near Court, and No. 22 in 



*Whose father. James Miller, was an assistant engineer. 



38 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Degraw Street near Court. In the later years of the Volun- 
teer Fire Department, James Dickey was foreman of this com- 
pany. 

Among the Hose Companies was Atlantic Hose Co. No. i. 
Richard C. Elliott, a New York lawyer, was foreman. They 
lay in Firemen's Hall, Henry Street, and on disbandment 
of No. 4 Engine they removed to their house on High Street. 
They were an old Company, organized in 1835, ^"^ kept 
up to the time of their disbandment when the paid system 
came into existence in every way a high-class and efficient 
organization. The Author of this book was foreman of same 
for the last three years of its existence as Volunteers. 

Several noted fires took place from 1853 to 1854 in 
New York. One of them was the burning of part of the 
Greenwich Avenue Public School, where many children were 
lost; another was W. J. Jennings & Co.'s clothing store, 231 
Broadway. Some twenty volunteer firemen were lost here. 
Another was the Pearl Street House, which was in Pearl 
Street, south side, between Coenties and Old Slips. Harper 
& Bros., on Franklin Square, was burned December 10. 1853. 
A marble tablet is now on the front of the brick warehouse 
where the hotel formerly stood. 

Pearl Street was largely given to the hardware trade. 
William Bryce & Co. were at 228 in 1854; subsequently they 
removed to Chambers Street opposite the new City Hall 
(present brownstone building), used by the City Court. Pearl 
Street has the unique distinction of starting at the lower part 
of Broadway (or really State Street) and forming a crescent, 
ending at Broadway opposite Thomas Street. Ball, Black & 
Co. were at 247 Broadway before they removed to their 
grand marble store, southwest corner of Prince and Broad- 
way. Tiffany, Young & Ellis being opposite the St. Nicholas 
Hotel so far uptown, was likely the cause of the former house 
removing so far away north. Lillienthal's Snufif & Tobacco 
Store was at the corner of Chambers and Centre Streets. 
McAlpin's (Same business) was in Catharine Street. 

Rushton's drug store, corner of Barclay and Broadway, 




Fire Trumpet presented to Thomas Floyd-Jones, Nov. 12, 1S()7, by mem- 
bers of Atlantic Hose Company, No. 1, Volunteer Fire Department, 
Brooklyn, L,. I- 



BACKWARD GLANCES 39 

was quite prominent in its day; later a Dr. Helmbold opened 
an elegantly fitted up store with marble counters on Broadway, 
east side, just below Houston Street, and achieved quite a 
notoriety in advertising Helmbold's Buchu. I don't remember 
what it cured, but I think all the ills that man is heir to. He 
rode alone in Central Park behind four black horses driven 
by a colored driver, with two footmen in livery sitting on 
the rear of a big carriage, they being negroes also, something 
of the same style in which Jim Fisk amused himself about 
the same time; only the latter would have four or five women 
with him, actresses from the Grand Opera House, Twenty- 
third Street and Eighth Avenue. The four black horses were 
frequently hitched tandem. It was a sight to see them. 

One of the most disastrous fires that ever took place, as 
far as the loss of life to firemen was concerned, in the records 
of the Brooklyn fire department, was on April 4th, 1865. It 
was called the Furman Street disaster. The fire broke out 
about half past one to two o'clock A. M., in a three-story brick 
building in Furman Street between Fulton and Wall Street 
ferries No. 93-95. The place was being used as a co-operage 
and oil refinery. It being situated directly under Columbia 
Street, and a garden belonging to the Columbia Street property 
covered the whole roof of the Furman Street building. The 
earth comprising same was fully three to six feet thick. 
The roof fell in, accelerated by its great weight, carrying 
with it in its descent a large number of firemen of the old 
volunteer system, who had their hose pipes in the scuttles. It 
came without any warning. Among those who lost their lives 
(bodies recovered) were Casper K. Cammeyer of Hose Co. 
No. 2, *Eugene P. Baker of Hose Co. No. 8, Alexander S. 
Benson of Hose Co. No. 11, Joseph H. Brown, No. 17 engine, 
and Lewis Gardner of Hose Co. No. 5. An assistant engineer, 
Robert Barr, and a member of No. 17 engine, James H. Rug- 
gles, were rescued after going through to the bottom, both 
escaping serious injury, also William Williams, engine 17, 

*A runner. 



40 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Michael McGibney, Hose Co. No. 5, Edward Bassett, Hose 
Co. No. 8, William A. Lee, Hose Co. No. 17. The escape of 
Hose Co. No. i from this holocaust seemed providential. They 
being one of the closest located near the fire, their route to 
same would have been straight through Cranberry Street, 
which would have placed them right on top of the building. 
On the alarm being received, which was a still one, the city 
hall bell not yet having struck, the hose carriage rolled out 
of the house No. 12 High Street, now covered by the entrance 
to the Brooklyn Bridge, and took the route directly toward 
Fulton Street. On reaching the corner of this street, a 
drunken man ran out and grabbed the end or bight of the 
rope, which swung the apparatus around the corner and down 
the Fulton Street Hill, instead of across, which was intended 
by the two members on the tongue. The writer of this 
*episode, which for the first time has ever been written, was 
in command of the company. On observing the situation, 
he rushed at the man and pushed him to the sidewalk, when he 
let go of his hold on the rope, and the carriage was swung 
down Fulton Street. All hands jumped on and rode down the 
hill on the car track, and arrived at Fulton Ferry, proceeding 
from there to the fire on Furman Street, coming in front of 
the building instead of on top. This scene can never be oblit- 
erated from the vision of those who participated in it and 
those who miraculously escaped with their lives, now forty- 
eight years ago. This, the act of a drunken man, came as a 
blessing in disguise. The owner of the garden who occupied 
the Columbia Street house was a prominent and much re- 
spected Quaker citizen, named John J. Merritt. 

No. I Truck lay in Henry Street, in Firemen's Hall, near 
Cranberry Street, Brooklyn. No. 2 Hose lay in Jay Street 
near Tillary Street. No. 4 lay in Love Lane near Henry 
Street. No. 3 in Hoyt near Fulton Avenue. No. 11 in 
Court Street near Joralemon. No. 14 in the Gowanus district, 
John Delmar, foreman. No. 12 in Hicks Street near State 
Street. 

*The author. 



f 



CHAPTER SIX 



THE Astor House built in 1836, one of the very best 
of the period, as it is at the present time, was 
located on the same site which it now occupies, 
Broadway, Vesey and Barclay Streets.) I saw 
Abraham Lincoln on the steps of this renowned old hotel when 
he ran for the first time for the presidency in i860, and subse- 
quently saw his remains after his assassination by J. Wilkes 
Booth. They were in the New York City Hall. The line of 
people desiring to see same extended up Chatham Street to 
the Bowery. It was three A. M. when I succeeded in getting 
to the head of this long procession. 

The vicinity of the Astor House on Broadway was the 
most difficult to cross of most any part of this prominent 
thoroughfare. Stages were the principal means of locomotion, 
except four- and six-horse sleighs in the winter season after a 
good snowfall. The sleighing would last for about two or 
three days. Eventually it would get all humps, then the stage 
companies would use picks and shovels and throw the ice and 
snow in the middle of Broadway three or four feet in height, 
so that driving down had to be done on one side and up on the 
other of this obstruction, which would last until rain or a thaw 
rernpved it. 

1 It was no uncommon sight to see a block of stages or 
omnibuses for hours from Canal Street to the Bowling Green. 
Our present traffic squad, one of the really most efficient parts 
of the police system and which has been a great success, would 
have come in very handy on many occasions to imravel the 
tangle. There were many stage companies, each one having 
about thirty vehicles, among them being the old Broadway 
line from Forty-second Street to South Ferry ; the Madison 
Avenue line to Wall Street Ferry from Thirty-second Street ; 
the Fourth Avenue line from the same point went to South 
Ferry; the Sixth Avenue line from Forty-second Street 

41 



42 BACKWARD GLANCES 

through Ninth and Eighth Streets, as also the Twenty-third 
Street line to Twenty-sixth Street and Ninth Avenue also went 
to South Ferry; the Fifth Avenue line from Forty-second 
Street to Fulton Ferry; Bleecker Street line (Yellow Bird) 
from Eighth Avenue and Twenty-third Street to South Ferry ; 
Grand Street line, dry dock foot of Tenth Street to South 
Ferry, as also East Broadway line from Grand Street Ferry; 
Spring Street line, Second Street and Third Avenue to foot of 
Canal and Cortlandt Streets ; Bowery line. Bull's Head, Twen- 
ty-fourth Street, to South Ferry. There was also a stage that 
left the old Bull's Head Hotel, Twenty-fourth Street and Third 
Avenue, at stated hours for Yorkville and Harlem on the east 
side, while the Bloomingdale stages ran from Thirty-third 
Street and Broadway (now Gimbel's Big Store), to Blooming- 
dale and Stryker's Bay. Most all of the proprietors of these 
stage lines were horsemen having many good trotters in their 
stables for their personal use. Sidney Nichols, of the Twenty- 
third Street line, who was at one time Police Commissioner 
and one of the organizers of the Fifth National Bank, comer 
of Twenty-third Street and Third Avenue, with such co-direc- 
tors as Judge Richard Kelly, General Wiley, Napoleon J. 
Haines and his brother Francis ; Thompson W. Decker the milk 
dealer, and Edmund Stephenson, ex-Immigration Commis- 
sioner, was often seen on the road and track. Among others 
was Andrews, of the Fifth Avenue line; Mr. Palmer of the 
Fourth Avenue line and president of the Broadway Bank, cor- 
ner of Broadway and Park Place. His brownstone residence 
was on Madison Avenue north of Thirty-fourth Street ; Mr. 
Marshall and Mr. Wilkins of the Broadway line ; Kip and Mr. 
Brown of the Bleecker Street line ; Murphy and Lent of the 
Second Street line; and Johnson and Shepherd of the Sixth 
Avenue line. 

There were also several car lines. The Sixth Avenue line 
ran from Vesey Street and Broadway up West Broadway, 
Canal, Varick, Carmine, and Sixth Avenue to Forty-second 
Street. Many of these cars were drawn by mules, and on the 
sides of several of them appeared the sign, "Colored People 



BACKWARD GLANCES 43 

Allowed in this Car." There was also the Eighth Avenue line 
from the same downtown terminus up West Broadway, Canal, 
Hudson, and Eighth Avenue to Forty-fourth Street. George 
Law was the principal owner of this line. His son, young 
George, could be met most any day driving a good one on Har- 
lem Lane. The Fourth Avenue line ran from Tryon Row up 
Centre, Broome, and Grand, Bowery, and Fourth Avenue to 
Thirty-second Street, and at a later date through the tunnel 
to Forty-second Street. The Third Avenue line ran from the 
City Hall up Chatham, Bowery and Third Avenue to Sixty- 
third Street. This road was largely owned by Henry Hart, 
Maltby G. Lane, and the Remsen family. The fare on both 
stages and cars was sixpence; and in l86i, when silver went 
out of circulation, postage stamps were used to pay the fare ; 
and on a wet day, both passenger and driver suffered, where • 
return change in stamps had to come to you through the little 
hole in the roof of the omnibus, all stuck together. When the 
shin-plaster script came into use they took the place of the 
postage stamps. There were no mats, but plenty of good clean 
straw or sedge hay on the floors of cars and stages. This kept 
your feet fairly warm in cold weather. There was also a Second 
Avenue line from Sixty-third Street down Second Avenue, 
through Grand Street to the Bowery and Peck Slip on the East 
River. The Crystal Palace at Forty-second Street and Sixth 
Avenue opened in 1853. It was adjoining the reservoir. Bry- 
ant Park is now on the site. This point was the end of many 
of the lines, the Sixth Avenue line not extending above Forty- 
second Street until after 1855. The bob-tailed cars only ran 
to Canal Street and Broadway, where they swung around and 
went back, one horse only being used on these. I saw the 
Crystal Palace burn on October 5, 1858, from the roof of my 
home in Waverly Place. It was a veritable tinder-box, and 
was quickly reduced to ashes. There was a high tower on 
the upper side of Forty-second Street opposite the Crystal 
Palace, for strangers to view the city. It was called the Lat- 
ting Observatory. There was no elevator in it, so they had to 
walk up, over 280 feet high. It burned down August 30, 1856. j 



44 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Strolling up Park Row, passing the International, Powers' 
and Lovejoy's Hotels, the latter on the corner of Beekman 
Street, and the Brick Church, which originally stood where the 
old Times and Potter Buildings are at present, surrounded by 
graves, all of which was removed in, 1856, looming up in the 
rear on Nassau Street, corner of Cedar, the Post Office, 
formerly Old Dutch Church, can be easily seen. This brings us 
to French's Hotel, on the corner of Frankfort Street, now 
the site of the World Building, while just across the 
street was Tammany Hall, which Building is now occupied by 
the New York "Sun," and where the "Staats-Zeitung" Build- 
ing stood for some years, which was demolished in 1908, to 
make way for the Bridge enlargement, was a row of brick 
houses called Tryon Row, after Governor Tryon, the English 
governor of the Province of New York before the Revolution. 
These houses were erected at that time, being private resi- 
dences. Law offices eventually filled them all. There were 
also quite a number of private residences in Beekman, Spruce, 
and Cliff Streets ; many of them kept boarders, while across 
in Chambers Street near Greenwich, resided Alexander Stuart, 
the bachelor sugar refiner. His brother, Robert L., had re- 
sided next door, but trade beginning to creep in, he removed to 
his grand new house, with stables in the rear filled with fine 
stock, corner of Fifth Avenue and Twentieth Street. Their 
sugar house was on the corner of Chambers and Greenwich 
Streets, extending to Reade Street. It is now a cold storage 
plant. The two brick houses, residences of the two brothers, 
can still be seen in Qiambers Street. Stuart's candy, broken, 
and sugar plums, was considered the very best. They were 
made of sugar. No terra Alba, glucose, or other foreign 
ingredients ever confaminated this world-iienowned candy. 
Their retail store was on the corner of Hudson and Chambers 
Streets, now the site of a trust company. The Stuarts sold 
their candy business to Ridley & Co., and from that time to the 
present it has gone under the latter name. It was directly 
opposite the Hudson River railroad depot, corner of College 
Place and Chambers Street, with an entrance on Warren 



BACKWARD GLANCES 45 

Street. The Gerken Building now occupies part of this site, 
home of the "Trotter and Pacer." 

The large passenger cars were towed up to Thirtieth 
Street and Tenth Avenue by four horses, a man going ahead 
of each car on a horse, waving a flag, the locomotive being 
attached at the Thirtieth Street passenger station. 

The Girard House was on the northeast corner of Cham- 
bers and West Broadway, now called the Cosmopolitan Hotel. 
Many of the old three-story brick houses on Hudson, Varick, 
Beach, Greenwich, Laight and adjoining streets, especially 
around St. John's Park, became boarding houses for the retail 
drygoods clerks of Broadway, many of the former occupants 
having moved way uptown above Washington Square. James 
Fenimore Cooper lived at No. 3 Beach Street in 1820. Uni- 
versity of the City of New York was on University Place 
facing Washington Park. 

On the east side, the station of the Harlem Railroad 
was at White and Centre Streets, just above the Tombs, and 
a passenger entrance was in Canal between Centre and Broad- 
way, also one in Broadway just below Canal ; but soon after it 
went up to Twenty-sixth Street and Fourth Avenue, where 
the New Haven and Hartford and the Harlem Railroad oc- 
cupied jointly the whole block as a depot. The Madison 
Square Garden now covers the site. The locomotives were 
housed at Thirty-third Street, where the Seventy-first Regi- 
ment Armory now is, and were backed down to Twenty- 
sixth Street to attach to trains. The first cattle yards that I 
can remember were in Robinson Street near Greenwich (now 
called Park Place). They subsequently removed to Sixth 
Street near Third Avenue, then to Forty-fourth Street, where 
the Grand Central Depot now is. j 

Quite a celebrated character, ^who was always in trouble 
with the police, also lived in Chambers Street, near Hudson. 
It was the well known Madame Restell. She removed from 
there into a grand, new brownstone mansion at the corner of 
Fifth Avenue and Fifty-second Street, No. 657 Fifth Avenue, 
and was known as the wife of Doctor Lohman. She erected 



46 BACKWARD GLANCES 

the Langham Hotel, next door to her home (both are now 
demolished), and most every day she could be seen riding ni 
her carriage through Central Park, either alone or with her 
husband by her side. She was found dead in her bathroom one 
morning, April i, 1878. It was believed that she met her end 
by suicide, by stabbing herself, as a large ivory handled carv- 
ing knife was found beside her with the lifeblood of a vampire 
of the Avenue on its blade. 

The old Bowery Theatre, now called the Thalia, on whose 
boards many prominent actors appeared, such as John Broug- 
ham, Chanfrau, George L. Fox, Mrs. Jones, Mary Taylor, 
Fanny Herring, and others ; also many blood-curdling dramas 
were enacted here, such as "Jack Sheppard," "Oliver Twist,"' 
and "The Three Guardsmen." It is still in existence, on the 
west side of the Bowery just below Canal Street, being used 
for plays in the Yiddish language. The Atlantic Garden was 
next door north. It cost one shilling to go in the pit (now 
the orchestra). It was generally packed solid with newsboys, 
while the select part of the house was the balcony. The price 
for seats here was four shillings. The top gallery was one 
and two shillings. Negroes were only allowed in the upper 
part of the house, next the roof. 

Will retrograde to the City Hall Park, not going through 
the Five Points to get there, which locality was most dangerous 
to traverse, either by day or night. The "Dead Rabbit" 
riots on July 3, 1857, were in Bayard Anthony, Mulberry, 
Elizabeth and Centre Streets, being between the Roach Guards 
of Mulberry Street and the Atlantic Guards of the Bowery, 
— one vicious element of the lower strata arrayed against an- 
other of the same kind. The streets were barricaded with 
wagons, boxes, or anything that they could obtain as breast- 
works. Paving stones and pistols were their weapons. This 
riot was put down by the Seventh Regiment. The Mission 
House which was erected in the Five Points was the chief 
means of cleaning up this vile spot. The Quarantine riots 
occurred in 1858, the buildings ail being destroyed by a fire on 
Staten Island, September ist. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 47 

Looking across City Hall Park, quite a commotion t^ 
observed there. It proves to be a fight between the police 
under the control of the mayor and the newly appointed com- 
missioners under the head of the new police system. This 
took place June 16 in 1857. Fernando Wood was mayor and 
his men were called M. P.'s, which, it is said in the vernacular 
of the street, meant "Mayor's Pups," the proper name being 
Municipal Police. The Metropolitan system was inaugurated 
at Albany when John A. King of Jamaica was governor. 
Commissioners were appointed, but the mayor would not rec- 
ognize them in any way. This led to a descent on the City 
Hall, and a clash ensued between the two opposing interests. 
The Seventh Regiment was going down Broadway at the 
time on their way to Boston by boat, it being under the 
command of Colonel Abraham Duryea. They were stopped 
and called upon to allay the disturbance. The mayor was 
threatened with arrest. It eventually ended in his giving uj) 
the struggle after considerable blood spilling, and the Metro- 
politan Police System was inaugurated, which has continued 
from that day to the present, being looked upon as one of the 
best in the world. This scrimmage was called the Police Riot. 

General Hall was in command of the Militia of New York 
of this division. The first police commissioners appointed were 
Simeon Draper, James W. Nye, and Jacob Caldwell, all of 
New York City. Police Headquarters was in the basement of 
the City Hall. George W. Matsell was Chief for many years 
(1853). He resided in Allen Street near Grand, and after his 
retirement from the police department he edited the paper 
called "The Police Gazette." John A. Kennedy became Chief 
a few years afterward. Although a small man in size he was 
as brave as a lion, and a terror to evildoers. The new Police 
Headquarters in Mulberry Street near Houston was estab- 
lished during the incumbency of Supt. Kennedy, he being the 
first one to occupy the same officially. The principal Police 
Justices of those days were Judge Dowling, Hogan, Finn, and 
Richard Kelly, who subsequently was president of the Fifth 
National Bank, corner of Twenty-third Street and Third Ave- 
nue. 



CHAPTER SEVEN 

IT was only a few years after this when the City Hall 
Park presented a very different appearance. In April, 
1861, barracks for the soldiers extended from Chambers 
Street on Broadway to the foot of the park, and up Park 
Row to Spruce Street, being erected inside of the iron railing 
which surrounded the City Hall Park, and which was used 
largely by venders of songs, they being strung along on wires 
against the fence. Some of these were "Ben Bolt," "Father, 
dear Father, come home with me now," "Listen to the Mock- 
ing Bird," "The Old Oaken Bucket," "Yankee Doodle," 
"Suwanee River," "Way down South in Dixie," "When this 
Cruel War is over," "Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me," and all the 
popular songs of those days, maify of the war songs being 
written by Charles Carroll Sawyer. 

The famous Seventh Regiment, under command of Col- 
onel Marshall T. Lefferts, had been down Broadway 
April 19th, on their way to Washington, where they were 
camped for thirty days, as it was expected that the war would 
not last much longer than that. The writer saw them there in 
May, 1 86 1, the day they broke camp and were to return to 
New York, their time having expired. Many threats were 
made that it would be hot for them going through Baltimore, 
but these rumors proved to be idle, as they were not molested 
in any way and arrived safely at their armory on Third Ave- 
nue and Seventh Street, and subsequently many hundred of the 
members recruited many companies which were formed into 
regiments, enlisting for the war, they going out as officers of 
the same. 

The 13th Regiment of Brooklyn, Colonel Abel Smith, com- 
mander ; Robert Clark, Lieut.-Colonel, Joseph Leggett, Ma- 
jor, and E. L. Molineux, Adjutant, whose armory was on 
Henry Street corner of Cranberry, stopped in the New York 
City Hall Park barracks before taking steamers for Annapo- 

48 



BACKWARD GLANCES 49 

lis, Md., in May, 1861, on their thirty-day campaign. Later 
they went to the front, enlisting for three months. On the 
thirty-day call they took out over 1200 men. Company G, 
under command of Capt. Richard Van Wyck Thorne, Jr., took 
out over 200 men in his company alone. 

On the Thirteenth Regiment leaving Brooklyn the first 
time, a kind of Home Guard was instituted. A company was 
formed in Apollo Hall, which was in Jay Street near Sands, 
by a Mr. Frothingham, assisted by Capt. William Everdell, 
who died in 1912. I saw them drill with canes, and if I 
remember rightly, this small band was the nucleus of the cele- 
brated Twenty-third Regiment of Brooklyn. They were com- 
posed of ex-members of the old City and Light Guard of 
Brooklyn. 

The Fourteenth Regiment of Brooklyn, Colonel Alfred 
M. Wood, and the Forty-eighth, Colonel Bennett in Williams- 
burg, both enlisted for the three-months campaign, the same as 
the Thirteenth. The Fourteenth was in the first battle of 
Bull Run. Colonel Wood was captured and kept in Libby 
Prison a long while. On his return, he was elected Mayor of 
Brooklyn. 

Resuming our stroll, going through Chambers Street, Bur- 
ton's Theatre is passed, the American News Co. Building now 
being on the site. William Burton was considered the greatest 
actor of his day in humorous parts. I saw him play "Toodles" 
in this theatre. Mrs. Russell, who afterwards married John 
Hoey, president of Adams Express Co., began her career in 
this house. On the corner of Broadway, extending to Reade 
Street, was the great wholesale and retail drygoods house of 
A. T. Stewart & Co. His partner, Mr. Wm. Libby, who re- 
sided in, Park Avenue corner of Thirty-seventh Street, and 
had his country j)lace at Inwood, was a well known driver on 
the old Bloomingdale road to Jones' Garemont. Mr. Hopkins, 
their head bookkeeper, also resided at Inwood, driving in 
daily. The Stewart store is still in existence, being now oc- 
cupied by many city departments. Mr, Stewart's residence 
was in Dapau Row, Bleecker Street, corner of Greene. He 
6 



50 BACKWARD GLANCES 

subsequently moved to the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue 
and Thirty-fourth Street. 

Jones' Claremont was a great place during the sleighing 
season. It was really the last roadhouse to reach, with one or 
two exceptions, so the sheds were crowded, and it was open 
house all night. Out on the lawn close to the river bank stood 
that little solitary marble monument surrounded by an iron 
fence, with this inscription on the side of the stone : 

To an amiable child 
Liester Pollock. 

He was the son of an Englishman who was visiting the family 
who resided in this old mansion before the Revolution. The 
monument is still there, adjacent to the magnificent tomb of 
General U. S. Grant. 

The most distant roadhouse of all reached on an after- 
noon's drive was on the Kingsbridge road, called the Kings- 
bridge Hotel, just after crossing the bridge from Manhattan 
Island on to Isle of Manhattan, where it was located. Its rear 
was directly upon the Spuyten Duyvill Creek. There oysters, 
clams, and fish were kept fresh. It was largely patronized all 
the year round. 

Quite well do I remember the advent in New York in i8()0 
of Ellmer Ellsworth of Chicago. He was a young lawyer 
there, and organized a company of young men of the fra- 
ternity, the members of which agreed to abstain from the use 
of liquor, tobacco, and all sorts of immorality. They were 
trained by Ellsworth until they worked with great skill, and 
went through all the east giving exhibition drills. They gave 
one in the City Hall Park and were veiy proficient. I saw 
one of them in Chicago in 1886, when he had become quite 
aged — a Mr. John Long. I called to his mind that I had seen 
them drill on the plaza in front of the City Hall. When the 
war broke out in 1861, Ellmer Ellsworth saw his chance and 
came to New York with a commission to recruit a regiment, he 
having procured same at Washington on his way to New York. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 51 

His first appeal was to the New York Fire Department to 
form a regiment of Zouaves, and in less than a week 1200 
able bodied men, accustomed to all kinds of hardships, pre- 
sented themselves for enlistment. They had red shirts, grey 
jackets and trousers, and on April 29, 1861, I saw them as 
they marched down Broadway, escorted by the Fire Depart- 
ment and an immense crowd of citizens. They sailed on the 
old Collins side wheel steamship "Baltic." If I remember 
rightly, they landed either at Annapolis or Baltimore, and 
thence to Washington, D. C. Their first experience on arriv- 
ing there was to save Willard's Hotel on Pennsylvania y\venue 
from fire, with which it was threatened. The Washington Fire 
Department was very inferior, so the city officers sent for the 
Zouaves. That made the local firemen jealous, so they cut 
the hose, and did all they could to obstruct them. The fire 
was early in the morning in the Fields Building, which ad- 
joined the hotel. There were no ladders, so the firemen used 
the lightning-rods and got on the roof that way. The Fields 
Building was pulled down very quickly, and Willard's was 
saved from flakes of fire falling on the roof. It was only 
three or four weeks after this event that I stayed at Willard's 
for a day. 

Ellsworth's career was very short, as he was shot by a 
man named James W. Jackson, proprietor of the Marshall 
House, Alexandria, Va., when he rushed into same to tear 
down a Confederate flag flying from a flagstaff on the roof. 
Jackson was immediately shot by Serjeant Frank H. Brownell. 
Upon the death of Colonel Ellsworth, Noah L. Farnham, 
Lieut. -Colonel, who was formerly a member of Hook and Lad- 
der No. I, became colonel. He was wounded at the battle of 
Bull Run, and died from the efifects. 

On the corner of West Broadway and Franklin Streets 
stood the Fifth Ward Hotel. It was quite a novel place, as it had 
a large exhibit of stuffed birds, mounted and in glass cases, 
— the finest exhibit in New York, really a museum. In front 
of this hotel stood a high Liberty pole, which was used by 
the volunteer firemen in matches of hand engines, to see which 



52 BACKWARD GLANCES 

company was superior in throwing water the highest. There 
was great rivalry in this regard. 

On Broadway at the corner of Warren Street was the 
large clothing house of D. Devlin, & Co. The first tunnel 
under Broadway, built in 1869, was directly in front of their 
store, which was on the southwest corner. It was called the 
Beach pneumatic tunnel. It was about thirty or forty feet 
long, built of brick, with rounded roof and base, with a car 
about thirty feet long in same, of cylindrical pattern, fitting 
close to the sides of the tube, so as to exhibit what an under- 
ground road was. The entrance was through the Devlin store. 
Twenty-five cents was charged for any one to see this first 
underground road in New York City. It never went any 
farther, and the hole was removed in 1913 for the Broadway 
subway. Another tunnel existed in Atlantic Street, Brooklyn, 
from Boerum Street to Columbia near South Ferry. It be- 
longed to the Long Island Railroad. Both ends were closed 
up when the road changed its depot to Hunter's Point, now 
Long Island City. 

That little brownstone building on Broadway, just below 
the corner of Chambers, was the great Chemical Bank, organ- 
ized by the Jones and Mason families. The front was lately 
changed to granite. Its president was John Q. Jones ; the 
cashier was George G. Williams. It was the only bank in New 
York that did not stop specie payment in the panic of 1857. 
On the northwest corner of Chambers Street stood the old 
Irving House, where the great Adams and Colt murder case 
of an earlier period occurred. Jenny Lind stayed at this hotel 
when she sang here at Castle Garden. This building was sub- 
sequently occupied by Delmonico as a restaurant. The Broad- 
way-Chambers now covers the spot. The New York Hospital, 
with its high iron fence, was on Broadway, west side, directly 
opposite Pearl Street, while just above Pearl, on the east side, 
was the old Broadway Theatre, Teft, Weller & Co.'s store is 
now on this site. Christian Shaffer had a grand saloon in the 
basement thereof. I saw Forrest play "Metamora" in this 
house, also saw Ed Eddy in "Heme, the Hunter," Adah Isaacs 



BACKWARD GLANCES 53 

Menken in "Mazeppa," Hackett as "Falstaff," and that grand 
old actor, William Blake, in "The last Man." He now lies in 
Greenwood adjacent to Harry Placide's grave. John Jack as 
Falstaff, a member of Forrest's company, with Lucille West- 
ern, also appeared at this theatre. Appleton & Co., the large 
publishing house, was on the next corner, now occupied by the 
New York Life Insurance Co. Building. It was a large store, 
which they occupied on the corner of Anthony Street. 

Williams, Stevens & Williams had a picture store on 
Broadway east side, just above Leonard. I well remember 
a large colored picture in their show window, entitled the 
"Seasons." I know of only two now in existence, which are 
in the Author's family. Gosling's restaurant was on Broad- 
way below Canal Street. Mealio's hat store was on the cor- 
ner of Canal and Broadway, and James' hat store was on 
Broadway, west side, under the St. Nicholas Hotel. Florence's 
Hotel was at the corner of Walker Street, east side of Broad- 
way. 

When the New York Hospital moved up-town to West 
Fifteenth Street, the old grounds were sold to various parties, 
and the present location of the drygoods trade was established. 
Thomas Street being cut through to Broadway, and the name 
of Anthony Street changed to Worth Street after General 
Worth, of Mexican War fame. William C. Langley, who 
removed from lower Broadway, was one of the first to locate 
there. He resided at Bay Ridge, Long Island, where he had 
the largest and finest stable of trotting and carriage horses in 
Kings County, or on Long Island. His four-horse team of 
that period was the talk of the day, and they would invariably 
capture the first premium at the Queens County Fairs at 
Hempstead, Jamaica and Flushing, they being held at these 
towns alternately every three years, in the largest field obtain- 
able, the horse ring being very small. The great Mineola 
grounds succeeded the former primitive exhibition grounds. 
Mr. Langley always drove from his home to the Hamilton 
Ferry daily on his way to his business in New York. His 
son, William H. Langley, who succeeded his father, was equal- 



54 BACKWARD GLANCES 

ly as fond of horses, and it took a clipper to head him on the 
old Brooklyn roads. 

/ Journeying along, 1 glance down to Church Street. This 
street was lined with negro hotels, lodging houses, and other 
miscellaneous places — in fact, the Tenderloin of that time be- 
gan at Duane Street, extended up Qiurch, taking in parts 
of Leonard and White Streets, thence to Canal, through 
Greene, Laurens and Mercer to Amity Street on the west of 
Broadway, and from Anthony Street through Elm and Crosby 
to Bleecker Street on the east side of Broadway. Truly a 
large hotbed of vice. Harry Jennings' place was in White 
Street, near West Broadway. It was the scene nightly of 
chicken controversies, dog fights, and rat-killing matches. Tay- 
lor's restaurant, or ice-cream saloon, with its grand fountains 
and marble tables and floors, was on the corner of Franklin 
Street. It was, when erected, considered the finest of its 
kind in America, if not in the world. The Brandreth House 
was at the corner of Canal and Broadway, being owned by 
Dr. Brandreth, of pill fame, who had his factory and residence 
at Sing Sing. John Ireland's Chop and Ale House was in 
Lispenard Street, being one of the best of its kind. It was 
called the Star. Cobweb Hall was on Duane Street, south 
side, east of Broadway. It was not known very well in those 
days, but in late years got its special mention as an old land- 
mark, English chophouse and alehouse, by its whimsical or 
euphonistic appellation. It is still on the same site. The most 
elegant saloons besides Taylor's and the Maison Doree was the 
Gem, corner of Broadway and Worth Street. The bar and 
walls were covered with mirrors. Solaris, northwest corner 
of Eleventh Street and University Place, was quite a noted 
place for a good meal. 

Other places of similar kind as the Star was the Shake- 
speare Inn, southwest corner of Broadway and Thirteenth 
Street, and the Grapevine, southwest corner of Sixth Avenue 
and Thirteenth Street. Only a little way above the latter 
place, on Sixth Avenue between Fourteenth and Fifteenth 
Streets on the west side of the Avenue, in the late fifties, was 



BACKWARD GLANCES 55 

the celebrated Palace Garden. It was formerly an old half 
country residence in the center of the block, a large frame 
house with a piazza around it. The grounds were laid out 
with gravelled walks and flower-beds, being illuminated with 
rows of iron pipes with gas jets in red, white and blue globes. 
Instrumental music was furnished of the best description. 
The refreshments being ice cream, lemonade, and cake. This 
place was well patronized in the hot summer months, the the- 
atres being closed. It was the only place of its kind on the 
west side where beer was not sold. A sherry cobler or claret 
punch was obtainable, but no cocktails or champagne. At the 
corner of Waverly Place and Sixth Avenue the Greenwich 
Savings Bank was located and opposite Amity Street on the 
west side of Sixth Avenue the well known old house of J. 
and R. Lamb, makers of interior church fixtures, were located, 
enjoying the same reputation in their line as the Jardines and 
Roosevelts did in church organ building. 

Solomon & Hart, carpets, was on Broadway near Walker ; 
Union Adams, gents furnishings goods, on Broadway near 
Eighth ; the principal piano manufacturers in the fifties and 
early sixties were : Nunns & Clark ; J. & C. Barmore ; J. & 
C. Fischer ; Bradbury ; Nunns & Fischer ; David Dunham ; 
Grove & Christopher ; P. T. Gale & Bros., East Twelfth Street 
and Third Avenue ; Raven & Bacon ; Stoddard, Wooster & 
Dunham ; Lindeman & Son, Bleecker Street ; Decker & Barnes, 
Third Avenue and Fifteenth Street; Haines Bros., Fourteenth 
Street and Third Avenue, subsequently Twenty-first Street 
and Second Avenue ; Hazleton & Bros ; Steinway & Sons ; 
Albert Weber ; Steck ; Kranich & Bach ; Decker Bros. James 
& Holstrom and Mehlin came along at a later period. 

The principal sheet music houses being: Hall & Sons, 
and William A. Pond & Son. 

The principal houses in the stationery trade being : George 
F. Nesbitt & Co., Pearl Street ; Nathan Lane & Co., Wall near 
Pearl ; Corlies & Macy, Nassau Street corner of Liberty ; 
Root & Anthony, Nassau Street near Cedar; Hosford & 



56 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Co., Cedar Street, all being in the banking district ; and Francis 
& Loutrel ; D. Duyckinck. 

The retail drygoods trade extended then from Chambers 
Street to Grand. Miller & Grant were near Lispenard Street ; 
Arnold, Constable & Co. were on the corner of Canal and 
Mercer, running through to Howard Street; while Le Boutil- 
liers' was next door on Canal Street. Hearn's was just above 
Howard Street, and Lord & Taylor on the corner of Grand. 
They also had another extensive store on Grand Street near 
Allen, having removed there from Catharine Street near East 
Broadway. Beck & Co., and Ubsdell, Pearson & Lake were on 
Broadway near White Street. The latter firm merged into 
Lake & McCreery. The Westchester House was at the corner 
of the Bowery and Broome Street, owned by a Mr. Mathews, 
now the Occidental. J. H. Johnson's jewelry store being on 
the northwest corner opposite. 

The retail clothing trade was largely in Fulton Street. 
Raymond's was on the corner of Nassau ; Smith Bros, were on 
Fulton Street just east of Nassau. They were succeeded by 
B. Hagerman & Co. Next door to them was Tredwell, Jarman 
& Slote. On the corner of Greenwich was the store of Aaron 
Close. P. C. Barnum & Co. was in Chatham Square ; Frank 
Baldwin's was in the Bowery near Canal ; and Brooks Bros, 
were on the northeast corner of Grand and Broadway. E. 
V. Haughwout & Co. were on the northeast corner of Broome, 
while Mitchell, Vance & Co. were on the east side of Broad- 
way just north of Houston Street. These two concerns were 
the largest manufacturers of gas fixtures, bronzes, etc., in 
New York. E. V. Haughwout was one of the organizers of 
the Union Dime Savings Institution and was its first presi- 
dent when it first opened, on the corner of Canal and Varick 
Streets. His residence was on Twenty-first Street opposite 
Gramercy Park, his near neighbors being Cyrus W. Field on 
the corner of Lexington Avenue, and his brother, the great 
lawyer, David Dudley Field, being next door. Peter Cooper 
and Abrani S. Hewitt resided adjoining on Lexington Avenue. 
The old Carlton House was on the corner of Walker Street, 



BACKWARD GLANCES 57 

east side of Broadway, Earl's Hotel being on the corner of 
Canal and Centre Streets. Thompson's ice cream saloon was 
on Broadway above Spring Street, west side, near the Chinese 
Assembly Rooms. The latter was occupied by Barnum, Sep- 
tember 6, 1865, as a museum after he was burned out on the 
corner of Ann. But his stay at the new place was only for a 
limited period, as on a cold day in winter it was completely 
destroyed by fire, March 3, 1868. It was so cold at this fire 
that the water froze as fast as it struck the building, and the 
next morning the front of same, which was of granite, was 
covered with a sheet of ice, resembling a miniature Niagara 
Falls. Masonic Hall subsequently Gothic Hall was on the 
east side of Broadway, 314 and 316 just below Pearl Street. 
It was famous for model artists. Mozart Hall was on Broad- 
way near Houston Street. The Fernando Wood democracy 
occupied it at one time as their headquarters. 

Old Apollo Hall was on Broadway, east side, below Canal 
Street, and the city assembly rooms were at 444 Broadway. 
Many dances or balls have I attended at both of these places, 
firemen's at the former and the Liederkranz at the latter. 
Brook's dancing academy was at 336 Broome Street near the 
Bowery, where I first attempted the light fantastic in my 
patent leather pumps. Dodworth's was the swell dancing 
academy on Broadway, east side, near Houston Street. The 
theatre at 444 was the home of minstrelsy, it being the head- 
quarters of Christy's Minstrels. Bryants' Minstrels were at 
472 Broadway, Mechanics' Library Hall, Dan, Neil and Jerry 
were the original Bryants. George Christy was the principal 
one in this troupe at 444 Broadway. His real name was Har- 
rington. It being sometimes called Christy and Wood's Min- 
strels, as Henry Wood was interested with George Christy. 
The City Assembly Rooms were in the same building, which 
was destroyed twice by fire. / 

E. P. Christy was the original one of the name who made 
negro minstrelsy popular. He had a troupe at 472 Broadway, 
which was in the Apprentices Library or rather Mechanics' 
Library Building, previous to the Bryants taking that house. 



58 BACKWARD GLANCES 

The popular song, "Way Down South in Dixie," which 
was written by Daniel Decatur Emmett in the spring of 1859, 
was first sung in this house. I heard it sung there before the 
war, and the music played by the bands in the political pro- 
cessions of the fall of i860, at which time the four tickets, 
Lincoln and Hamblin, Douglas and Johnson, Breckenridge 
and Lane, and Bell and Everett, were in the field for Presi- 
dency and Vice Presidency, Dixie being the popular tune for 
all the parties. When John C. Fremont was the first Republican 
candidate for President in 1856 this song was not known. 
Fremont at that time resided on the upper side of Ninth Street, 
just east of Sixth Avenue, the store of Park & Tilford being on 
the corner. His wife was a great favorite. Her name was 
Jessie Benton, being a daughter of Tom Benton, a Western 
celebrity. 

Sherwood Campbell sang here in burnt cork. He subre- 
cjuently appeared in English opera at the Grand Opera House, 
with the Caroline Ritchings troupe (Mrs. Bernard, daughter 
of Peter Ritchings). His rendition of the song, "The Heart 
Bowed Down," was considered grand. Tom Prendergast, who 
lived in Brooklyn, was one of this same troupe of ininstrels, 
as also G. W. Griffin, John Wilde, Bartholomew, and the great 
comic impersonators, Mulligan and Nelse Seymour. William 
Castle belonged to the Christy minstrels. He subseciuently 
graduated into the English opera, and belonged to the choir of 
Dr. Farley's Unitarian Church, on Monroe Place, Brooklyn. 
In his latter years he resided in Chicago and died there in 1909. 

During the summer season of 1858 the stage of No. 472 
Broadway was occupied by the Wood and Marsh combination 
of children, they playing many of the principal pieces. I can 
well remember Black Eyed Susan. They were fine little actors 
and actresses. During their engagement the theatre was called 
Broadway Varieties. Odd Fellows Hall was corner of Grand 
Street and Center. Board of Education Building being corner 
of Elm and Grand Street. 



CHAPTER EIGHT 

THE Broadway House was on the corner of Grand, 
while the magnificent St. Nicholas Hotel, of white 
marble, erected 1850, was on Broadway from Sp'-ing 
Street south extending through to Mercer Street. 
The Prescott House was on the upper corner of Spring and 
Broadway. Tiffany, Young & Ellis, the great silver and jew- 
elry house, were directly opposite the St. Nicholas Hotel. A. 
Rumrill & Co. were on the corner of Murray and Broadway, 
and Seymour Hoyt & Co., corner of Fulton and Water; and 
Welch in Greenwich Street near Vesey. These three last were 
the principal downtown jewelry retailers. Wood & Hughes 
were on John Street. They were principally silversmiths. 

Wallack's Theatre was on the west side of Broadway, No. 
485, just below Broome Street. It was formerly called 
Brougham's Lyceum. The stock company of this theatre was 
second to none in America,' being composed of such well known 
and great actors as Joseph JefTerson, Lester Wallack, John 
Brougham, Harry Placide, William Davidge, Mark Smith, E. 
L. Johnson, T. B. Johnston, Harry Pearson, Walcott, Wheatley, 
Bangs, Parsloe, Chippendale. Dolly Davenport, Edward Soth- 
ern, Charles Fisher, John Gilbert, J. H. Stoddart, James Lewis, 
and W. R. Floyd ; while the actresses were Mrs. John Hoey, 
Mary Gannon, Fanny Morant, Madame Ponisi, Mrs. Jane 
Vernon, Rose Eytinge, Jane Combs, Effie Germon, and Mada- 
line Henriques. She was of the old Henriques family, who 
were stock brokers and resided in Bank Street. Mrs. John 
Hoey, while she was a member of Wallack's company, resided 
at 331 West Twenty-third Street, subsequently removing to a 
grand brownstone house on Fifth Avenue, west side, near 
Twenty-eighth Street. 

Many others of note appeared at this theatre on stated 
occasions, among them being Dion Boucicault and his wife, 
Agnes Robertson, in "Jessie Brown ; or, the Siege of Luck- 

59 



6o BACKWARD GLANCES 

now," a drama founded on the Indian Mutiny. Matilda Heron 
in "Camille" and "Medea," in 1857, supported by both Lester 
Wallack and Edward Sothern, she being the wife of Robert 
Stoepel, the composer, dying in New York in 1877, the funeral 
taking place at the Church of the Transfiguration. I always 
considered that Matilda Heron was one of the best of Ameri- 
can actresses. Others were Barney Williams and his wife, 
who resided at Bath, Long Island. His real name was Bar- 
nard Flaherty, and this is the name which is on his monu- 
ment on Battle Hill in Greenwood Cemetery ; Billy Florence 
and his wife in "Caste" and "The Ticket-of-Leave Man." Mrs. 
Williams and Mrs. Florence were sisters, their maiden name 
being Pray. Mrs. Maria Kathleen Williams died on May 6, 
191 1, in her eighty-sixth year. They had another sister, who 
was the wife of James Bevins, who kept a hostelry close to the 
Centerville track. Mr. Bevins subsequently became the bell- 
ringer of the Jefferson Market fire tower. One of his daugh- 
ters married a son of Mrs. John Hoey. There was also James 
W. Wallack in "The Veteran," an East Indian comedy ; also 
appearing as Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice." John 
E. Owens in "The Victims" as Joshua Batterby, and as Solon 
Shingle in "The People's Lawyer." 

Well do I remember in the trial scene of this drama the 
figure of "Justice" blindfolded being painted upon the scenery 
over the judge's desk. Owens glances up at it and remarks to 
the Court: "Judge, is that your sore-eyed sister up there?" 

/The Metropolitan Hotel, a large brownstone building, was 
on rhe corner of Prince and Broadway, extending to Crosby 
Street. It had a large frontage north on Broadway, built 
in 1852.^1 I stood on this corner on October 11, i860, and 
saw the Prince of Wales, late King Edward of England, pass 
in his carriage, sitting beside the Duke of Newcastle, the 
mayor of the city, Fernando Wood, being also of the party, 
with Lord Lyons, the English minister. He landed at the 
Battery. The revenue cutter "Harriet Lane," named after 
James Buchanan's niece, had been sent to take him on board 



BACKWARD GLANCES 61 

at Amboy, and at 2:30 he and his suite entered Castle Garden 
through the Water Gate. 

Only a few years later Prince Albert's brother George, 
the sailor prince, visited New York, I saw him at the ball 
given in his honor at the Academy of Music. The Duke 
Alexis of Russia was here in 1871, at the launching of the 
"Grand Admiral," a man of war built here for the Russian 
Navy. I attended a reception given to him at the Brooklyn 
Navy Yard by Rear Admiral Melancthon Smith, who was in 
command there at that time. Admiral Smith was in command 
of the steamer "Mississippi" with Farragut at New Orleans, 
*George Dewey being his first officer. He died at Green Bay, 
Wis., in 1893, and was buried there. 

Niblo's Garden was in the rear of the Metropolitan Hotel. 
Noted ones played on the stage of this theatre, such as Char- 
lotte Cushman as "Meg Merrilies" and as Romeo in "Romeo 
and Juliet." She died in Boston, February 18, 1876. Mrs. 
John Wood, Maggie Mitchell in "The Cricket on the Hearth ;" 
Edwin Forrest in "Richard the Third" and in other characters ; 
E. L. Davenport, Dan Harkins, and later the Ravels, with 
Bonfanti, the great dancer; also Margaret Mather, Lydia 
Thompson in "Ixion," and the "Black Crook" and "White 
Fawn." The precursors of the leg drama, which was tame in 
comparison with the scantly clad drama of the present day, 
Buckley's Serenaders, opened a new theatre at 587 Broadway 
in 1856, subsequently occupied by the San Francisco Min- 
strels, at which Billy Birch, Bernard, Wambold, Charley 
Bachus, and Eugene, the wench dancer, appeared. Toney 
Pastor later took this theatre. Lillian Russell and May Irwin 
appeared here. Pauline Markam was the beauty and the prm- 
cipal one in the "Black Crook" cast. She was a British 
blonde, and came here with Lydia Thompson and Harry 
Beckert. This spectacular drama was produced later under 
the lesseeship of Jarret & Palmer, and had an unprecedented 
run in 1866 to 1868. Niblo's stage, which was a large one, 

♦Admiral 1914. 



62 BACKWARD GLANCES 

was also used by a circus company, the ring being directly on 
the front, which was considered quite an innovation for a 
theatre. Melville, Stone, and Sebastian were the great bare- 
back riders of the time, Dan Rice taking a prominent part, that 
of the Clown. Nat Austin was a proficient ring master. 

Gabriel, Antoine, Jerome and Francois Ravel were won- 
ders. I well remember one of the four brothers taking the 
part of a monkey. I think the pantomime was called "Jocko 
the Brazilian Ape." The stage at Niblo's Garden had more 
trap doors on it than any other theatre in New York, so came 
in handy for their uses in pontomime. A Japanese troupe of 
acrobats appeared here in the early sixties, Little Allright be- 
ing the idol of the troupe. He would slide on a wire from 
the top gallery to the stage, and on landing would exclaim 
"Ayright," which brought down the house. 

[ Niblo's Garden was the first theatre that had an illumi- 
natal sign, it being the name "Niblo's," composed of gas jets 
in red, white and blue glass cups strung on an iron pipe. It 
stood out very prominent and was much admired, as quite 
something very odd. il will leave the reader to imagine the 
difiference between this crude makeup as compared with those 
of the present day, as represented on the Great White Way, 
or in many other parts of New York, even in 125th Street, 
which at night is as light as day. 

(On the west side of Broadway, just a few doors below, 
near Prince Street, Stanwix Hall was located, No. 57Q. This 
place was the rendezvous of prize fighters, gamblers, and 
sporting men of every description, j It was particularly made 
memorable as being the place in which Bill Poole was shot, 
February 24. 1855. he dying March 8, 1855, ^t his home. 
Many prominent individuals of this fraternity were mixed up 
in this disgraceful imbroglio, among them being James Irving, 
who resided in Twenty-first Street east of Second Avenue, 
next to the old Haines Bros.' piano factory ; also Paudeen and 
a man named Baker, also James Turner. Paudeen's real 
name was McLaughlin. 

The finger of Justice pointed toward Baker as the per- 



BACKWARD GLANCES 63 

petrator of this foul deed, shooting a man down Hke a dog 
without a chance to defend himself. Baker escaped on a 
schooner for the South, the "Isabella Jewett," which was owned 
by George Law ; but the authorities sent the fast sailing clipper 
"Grape Shot" after him. He was captured at sea and brought 
back to New York, was tried for murder, but was not con- 
victed. Bill Poole was a second rate prize fighter, having been 
born in America. He fought John Morrissey on the Amos 
Street (now West Tenth Street) pier and got the best of the 
argument. Poole belonged to the Know Nothings, an organ- 
ization which existed at that time (1854-55) prejudicial to 
foreigners, especially the Irish. His funeral took place on a 
Sunday from his residence at 164 Christopher Street, it being 
a public one. The coffin was draped with the American flag, 
with the following inscription on same: "I die a true Ameri- 
can." It was said that these were his last words. This blight 
on Stanwix Hall soon caused its closing up, in April, 1855-56. 
Lafayette Hall was a few doors above nearer Houston Street 
on the same side of Broadway. It had a large billiard room in 
the rear on Mercer Street, with a large hall over same used for 
drilling purposes, and the company quarters of Captain Shum- 
way's command, 7th Regiment, as also quarters of the Light 
Guard, Captain Ned Vincent, who was formerly Captain of the 
Tompkins Blues. The City Guard, whose rooms were oppo- 
site on Broadway, were their greatest rivals. Both of these 
independent companies eventually merged into what is now 
known as "The Old Guard," they being the nucleus of these 
grand old veterans. Lafayette Hall was the principal head- 
quarters of all the old-time trotting horse element. Many of 
the butchers of Center, Washington, Fulton, Jelferson, and 
Spring Street markets all owned good trotters, and after clos- 
ing their stalls in the afternoon you would always meet them 
on the road and later at some of the Broadway resorts, gener- 
ally at Lafayette Hall or Vauxhall Garden, kept by Harry 
Jones, as there were many public stables in this vicinity on 
Mercer Street and a large one under Ottignon's Gymnasium, in 
Crosby Street near Bleecker. Dusenbury and Van Duser had 



64 BACKWARD GLANCES 

their light wagon works on Crosby Street further down. R. 
M. Stivers and Brewster also made fine wagons. Frank 
Bellow's stable was at the corner of Crosby and Prince Streets. 
3n 1853 Corporal Thompson's old road house, called 
Madison Cottage, stood on the west side of Broadway at 
Twenty-third Street. This location was the beginning of the 
dirt road after getting off the paved streets. This landmark 
was removed in 1854 and the Franconi Hippodrome was 
built on the block front, Broadway, 23d to 24th Street. It was 
here that chariot races were first installed in America, and there 
was hardly a day passed but that an accident of some kind 
happened in this immense equestrian arena, many of them 
being fatal. It was not a paying venture, as the people were 
always afraid of some mishap to mar their pleasure. The ring 
was soon obliterated, and the magnificent Fifth Avenue Hotel 
was erected on the site by Paran Stevens and Amos Eno. 

[ Broadway subsequently was paved with cobblestones to 
Thirty- fourth Street (where the Macy and Herald Buildings 
now stand), making this the starting point of the dirt road 
which led out to Finley's half mile track, which was at about 
Seventy-third Street and Broadway; Bloomingdale, Stryker's 
Bay and Jones' Claremont Hotel, as also to Burnham's road 
house at Eighty- fourth Street, and the Abbey, at i02d Street 
and North River. Mathew Brennan, who was at one time 
sherifif, lived on Broadway near 84th Street. Fernando Wood, 
the mayor, had a large place on Broadway at Seventy-sixth 
Street. In this vicinity resided Jerry and Neil Bryant, the 
great negro minstrels. Hosea Perkins lived at quite a dis- 
stance up Broadway, I72d Street, as also Lawson N. Fuller. 
Both Mr. Perkins and Mr. Fuller were enthusiastic horsemen. 
The latter was often seen driving four horses. Benjamin 
Wood, proprietor of the "Daily News," brother of Fernando 
Wood, lived in West Twenty-third Street near Ninth Avenue. 
Many of the habitues of Lafayette Hall could well remember 
that grand gray mare, Lady Suffolk. It was believed that she 
could beat all creation at the trotting gait, and tmly she carried 
this out, being almost invincible. I not only heard her praises 



*LADY SUFFOLK 

Sired by Engineer 2ncl; Grand Sire Imported Messenger, 
Running Horse; Dam by Plato, Running Horse; Sire of 
Plato, Imported Messenger. Foaled 1833. Died at Bridge- 
port, Vermont, March 7, 1855, aged 22 years. 
*From Trotter and Pacer. 




O 

to 
^^ 

Q 
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CQ 



MESSENGER 
RuNNiNc; Horse, (iRky in Color 

Sire Mambrino by Engineer. 

Foaled at New Market. England, about 1780. Imported 
by Mr. Benger, 1791. Landed at New York. Stood at 
Farm of Townsend Cock, Oyster Bay. Queens County, 
Long Lsland. where he died Jan. 28. 1808. 

Descendants of Messen<;er 

Mambrino, died 1831. Trotter, foaled 1806. John Treo- 
\Vell, West Hills, Huntington. L. I. 

Abdallah. Trotter. Foaled 1823. Died 1854. 

Rysdicks Hambletonian. Trotter. Foaled 1849. Died 
1876. 

Electioneer. Trotter. l'"oalcd i8f)8. Died 188^). 

May King, Trotter. Foaled 1886. Died 1911. 

Bingen. Trotter. Foaled 1893. Died 1913. 

L'^HLAN. Trotter. Foaled 1904. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 65 

sung by my father and grandfather, but from all the negro 
help on the manor place of my boyhood, and you may rest 
assured that the darkies of Long Island well knew what a good 
one was. 

Long Island seems to have been the banner place for 
horse racmg, as in 1665 Governor Nicolls, who was the uncle 
of my grandfather, six generations removed, ordered a race- 
course to be set aside on Hempstead Plains, called Salisbury 
Plams, for encouraging the bettermg of breed of horses which 
through great neglect had been impaired. This course was 
called New Market. It was near where Hyde Park is at the 
present time, or Isle of Trees. 

In 1757 there was a track in Jamaica, Long Island, which 
was around Beaver Pond. There was also another racecourse 
on the Lispenard Meadows in Greenwich Village Told Ninth 
Ward) and a running track owned by the De Lancey family, 
1776, fronting on the Bowery and the present First and Sec- 
ond* Streets and one in Newtown, Long Island in 1758. The 
Centerville Track was laid out in 1825, where in 1847 the 
Albany Girl was tried to run one hundred miles in ten con- 
secutive hours in harness. She actually accomplished ninety- 
seven and one half miles in nine and one half hours and then 
broke down, surely such sport shows degeneracy somewhere 
Now the account says she ran in harness, maybe she may have 
trotted. This latter account is from "History of Long Island" 
by Peter Ross, published by Lewis Publishing Company, New 
York. Lady Suffolk was bred at Smithtown in Suffolk County 
Long Island, in 1833 by Leonard W. Lawrence, being sired bv 
Engineer 2nd, he by Messenger. Her dam was by Plato a 
son of imported Messenger, who was bred by General Floyd 
of Smithtown, Long Island (a relative of the writer). Lady 
Suffolk was sold as a young filly (two years old) to David 
Bryant, a resident of the same county for $112.^0 havin- 
previously been sold to Charles Little for thirtv-two dollars 
^"'^ fi^^y «"ts, and by him for sixty-two dollars to Richard 

*The stable being on old First Street (now Crystie Street) and the 
paddock on old Second Street (now Forsyth Street) 



66 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Blydenburg. She was fifteen hands one and one half inches in 
height. She was iron gray in color, but in old age was quite 
white. She commenced her career about 1838, continuing until 
1853, during which time she met almost all of the fast ones 
of those days, and it was not only mile heats three-in-five, but 
often two, three and four-mile heats. In 1841 she trotted two 
mile heats under saddle, also one of three-mile heats. In 
1842 she trotted two-mile heats in harness against Ripton and 
in 1844 under saddle against the same horse. About 1849 
she trotted three-mile heats in harness against Trustee and 
Pelham, the fastest time being seven minutes forty-five and one 
half seconds. All of these races were won by Lady Suffolk. 
The many good ones which she met and conquered were Sam 
Patch, Vermont Black Hawk, Rattler, Dutchman, Apollo, Lady 
Victory, Henry, Ellen Jewett, Aaron Burr, Confidence, Wash- 
ington, Awful, Oneida Chief, Ripton, Rifle, Beppo, Independ- 
ence, Taconey, Americus, Duchess, Moscow, James K, Polk, 
Lady Moscow, Lady Sutton, a small brown mare ; Mac, Grey 
Eagle, Pelham, Jack Rossiter, Trustee, Long Island, Black 
Hawk, Hector, Roanoke, Brown Columbus, Kentucky Chief, 
Pet O'Blenis, Boston Girl, Honest John, Kemble Jackson, Ben 
Ringer, Sontag, Lady Palmer and Peerless. The last was a 
gray mare, which later was owned by Robert Bonner, who 
also owned Flatbush Maid, Palmer and Pocahontas, the great 
pacing mare, two minutes seventeen and one quarter seconds, 
beating Hero in wagon race on the Union Course in 1855. I 
must also mention Selim. He was owned by my father, who 
sold him to George Raynor. I think he was the hardest colt 
to break that I ever saw. He would rush right into a fence or 
any other obstruction, being really a dangerous horse to 
handle. He had great speed. In his old age he was found 
in the stable of a defaulting teller of a prominent New York 
bank, whose residence was in the vicinity of Rockaway. The 
large sorrel mare Gipsy was owned by the writer's grandfather, 
who sold her to George Burnett, of New York, for eight hun- 
dred dollars — a large sum in those times. She was the dam of 
Jupiter (formerly Night Hawk) and grandam of Lady Emma 



BACKWARD GLANCES 67 

and Pearsall. The two principal tracks that were used at 
this time close to New York were the Union Course on the 
Jamaica turnpike between East New York and Jamaica, and 
the Centerville Course, which was originally called the Eclipse 
Course, I think the name was changed previous to 1840. This 
track was about one and a half miles southwest from the 
Union — in fact, about three-fourths of a mile west of the pres- 
ent Aqueduct running track in Queens County, Long Island. 
A small part of one of the lanes, which was fringed with 
trees and led to the track, is still visible, as I saw it a few 
days ago. There were also several other mile tracks on Long 
Island, the Huntington track, the Babylon track, the Massape- 
qua track at South Oyster Bay, and the old Washington 
Course, which was on Hempstead Plains, about two miles 
south of Mineola. The Huckleberry frolics always took place 
at this track. It was on the open prairie, no fence enclosing it, 
so admittance was free. The purses were made up by someone 
passing around in the crowd with a tumbler, in which they 
would put either one, two or four shillings, which would prob- 
ably amount to ten or twelve dollars. They would trot for 
the whole afternoon and often away past sundown. Horses 
would come from Brooklyn, Babylon, Huntington and other 
distant places on the Island, starting from home in the morn- 
ing. These trotted races all the afternoon. They had the 
stamina in those times, as no horse was trained to race under 
five years old. 

The judges' stand on this track was very crude, it being 
two stories about six feet square, the bar occupying the ground 
floor. After each heat the crowd was supposed to "licker up" 
the drink being gin and sugar, rum or brandy. After the races 
everyone would go for his horse and wagon, and a merry 
scramble was had by those going to Hempstead to get to Steve 
Hewlett's Hotel on the corner of Main Street first. This hotel 
was adjoining old St. George's Church, which was erected over 
two hundred years ago. Others of the crowd would go to 
Jamaica and stop at Remsen's Hotel or at Cale Weeks' both 
places being on the main street of the village. 



68 BACKWARD GLANCES 

There was great speed shown on these country roads and 
dangerous to try to pass your competitor, as you were liable 
to go in the gutter. There were also several half-mile tracks. 
One was called the Hamilton, where ninety-third Street and 
Columbus Avenue cross, near where St. y\gnes Church is nov; 
located, the old Apthorpe house was right in front of it on 
Columbus Avenue ; also one on Harlem lane near the river 
just above Harry Bertholf's old road house at 148th Street, 
also the Red House on Second Avenue and 105th Stree.. 
Before bringing this part of my article to a close in con- 
nection with Lady Suffolk, I desire to refer to a grand, good 
horse who met her on the turf on many occasions. This wa^ 
Grey Eagle. He was a gray gelding, fifteen hands high, being 
really a beautiful little horse. Hiram Woodruff was his train- 
er. It was in 1849 that he trotted against Lady Suffolk under 
saddle, also trotted against her in harness, he being vanquished 
on both occasions. The best time of the last race was two 
minutes, thirty-four seconds. 

In November, 1850, he ag?in met Lady Suffolk, mile 
heats, three-in-five, in harness, he proving the victor in three 
straight heats, two minutes, thirty-seven seconds being the 
fastest one. On July 13, 1851, he trotted a race of three-mile 
heats in harness against Trustee, Shavetail and Bluffer. The 
day was extremely hot. The first heat was won by Trustee in 
eight minutes, thirty-eight seconds, but the extreme tem- 
perature of this summer day was too much for Trustee, as it 
completely knocked him out and he died in harness. Grey 
Eagle came very close to meeting the same untimely end from 
the like cause, he being saved by blood-letting. The others 
went three heats and Bluffer was drawn. While referring to 
this horse, Grey Eagle, I cannot refrain from relating quite 
an amusing episode that happened to the writer in which Grey 
Eagle was the star performer and in which the other one of 
the cast appeared in the most ludicrous light which might have 
ended most seriously to both, in which case this little squib 
would never have seen this, its present publicity. 

It was in the spring of 1852. Grey Eagle had been win- 




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BACKWARD GLANCES 69 

tered on the farm of David W. Jones at Cold Spring Harbor, 
Long Island. He was sent up there after his nearly death 
race of the previous July. I do not remember whether he was 
the property at that time of Hiram Woodruff or of Daniel 
Youngs Jones, of New York. I rode behind him on several 
occasions going out to the Red House in 1855, accompanying 
Mr. Jones, my great-uncle. But now to my story : 

In 1852 I was at a boarding school at Cold Spring HarUo. , 
Long Island, very close to the home of Major Wm. Jones. 
The school was kept by an Episcopal clergyman, he being an 
Englishman and who was at one period in the British navy. 
At this time he was rector of an Episcopal church there and 
one of his principal amusements, whether deserved or not, 
was to thrash the boys who were confided to his care with a 
rattan across the back of their fingers, first giving them a 
taste of it on the open palm of their hands. It was freely said 
for years afterward that all the poor victims who eventually 
got away from this clerical flayer, who was a most worthy 
successor, transplanted to America, of Dickens' character m 
"Nicholas Nickleby," the despised Whackford Squeers, car- 
ried hands with unsightly big knuckles for the balance of their 
natural lives. But he likely now R. I. P., we forgive him, it 
being part of my story. It was one fine day during my so- 
journ at this school that my respected parent was expected 
to dine at the home of his relative at this place. Word was 
sent to me to dress up in my Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes 
and meet him, he coming from across the Island about eighteen 
miles distant. Flattering myself that I was immaculate in my 
attire, brass buttons, buckles, large turned-down collar, etc., 
etc., I quickly walked up the hill to the rendezvous, as I had 
been away from home nearly three months and was anxious 
to see him. The anticipated guest not having yet arrived I was 
asked, in spite of my good clothes, if I would like to mount 
Grey Eagle, who appeared as white as the driven snow, and 
ride him down to the long sand beach which separates the 
outer from the inner harbor. Quickly assenting, I was in- 
structed by my cousin, young David Jones (who is still alive 



70 BACKWARD GLANCES 

at this writing and who resides at Flushing, Long Island, be- 
ing over eighty-five years of age), to ride Eagle in the water 
while I was down there, so as to wet his legs a little. At the 
time of day it happened to be low tide. Thinking the water 
of the outer bay a little rough where there was a good sound 
footing of sand and being a shade timid, I started him toward 
what little water I could see in the inner harbor, which was 
very quiet and very little of it, which was some two hundred 
feet from the sandy shore. But I kept after that water when 
without any warning Eagle went floundering into a mud hole 
and sunk down to his body and off I went head over heels into 
the same slimy muck. Quickly scrambling up I grabbed his 
bridle and after several plunges in which he fell again and I 
with him, I finally succeeded in getting him out, myself, also, 
and oh, what a sight we both presented. He was only a few 
short minutes before this a white horse — without a red-headed 
girl in sight — and I a white lad in my elegant attire. But the 
transformation was quick and realistic. Leading my partner 
up the beach to a stone wall in front of the Major's old home- 
stead, I got on his back, clutched the reins and started for 
home and we got there mighty quick. From the moment I 
mounted, he started on a run up the hill fully half a mile. I 
was slipping on the muddy saddle and the reins slipping 
through my hands prevented me from getting any hold, so 
had to let him go. On arrival at his stable the young- 
er David Jones happened to be there and witnessed our 
return. Well can I remember his astonished look and exclam- 
ation : "Where have you two been ?" All hands were called 
to wash off the supposed White Eagle, while I was stripped 
and went through the same ablution. I will here remark that 
when my parent arrived I was sitting composedly drying be- 
fore the kitchen stove, while my clothes, which had been 
washed and cleaned by my good great-aunt, were on the clothes 
horse also drying. I can safely say that I did not try any more 
of these kind of stunts after this experience. T never heard 
whether my great-grandfather saw from his piazza the ludi- 
crous plight of his great-grandson. If he did likely his opinion 



BACKWARD GLANCES 71 

would have been that the horse strain of common sense was 
wofully lacking in his descendant. 

Major WilHam Jones is accredited with the honor of 
having produced a horse that trotted a mile in harness under 
three minutes. The true account of the feat is as follows. It 
was at a jockey club dinner which took place in 1818 believed 
to have occurred at Baltimore, Maryland, that he made the 
wager with a Colonel Bond for the sum of $1,000. He told 
his son Daniel Youngs Jones as also his two grandsons David 
Jones and the late Elbert Floyd Jones, three representative 
men of Queens County, the full history of the event, all of 
whom have always been considered the best authority on 
trotting annals of Long Island. The horse he named to win 
the bet was called Boston Pony who was fifteen and one-half 
hands high, called a pony in those days. He had him brought 
from Boston on a sloop or schooner. The race was trotted 
on the turnpike just west of Jamaica, Long Island, and he won 
the bet. It was always believed and quoted for many years 
in periodicals of the day that the horse called Boston Blue was 
the hero of this feat of nearly a century past. It was indeed a 
very different animal. Boston Blue was a big horse of a queer 
gray color. He was sent over to England at that period, being 
called there The Slate Color American, accompanied by the 
gray mare, Lady Blanch, she was over fifteen hands high. 
Billy Baxter, the trainer, went with them. Some scandal arose 
at the time of rather queer methods abroad and both animals 
returned to the United States. From this we can draw the 
deduction that underhand ways in the racing world were not 
entirely the creation of later days. Billy Baxter subsequently 
worked for the author's father and trained the big sorrel mare 
Gypsy, the dam of Jupiter. I saw her many times when a 
boy return home without anyone in the yellow wheel sulkey ; 
or if the seat was filled the occupant was oblivious to all his 
surroundings until the mare stopped of her own accord at the 
barn and her trainer was lifted out by some one of the negro 
help connected with the family residence, Fort Neck, South 
Oyster Bay, Long Island, (now Massapequa). This was in 



72 BACKWARD GLANCES 

1848. I have in my possession a relic of the early days of 
trotting on Long Island. It was found among my father's 
effects in 1900, viz : 

"Rules and Regulations Adopted 

for the Union Course, Long Island 

March 25. 1848" 

A comparison of these rules with those in force to-lay is inter- 
esting, but it will be noted that the latter are to a considerable 
extent based upon this old code drafted sixty-six years ago 
with extensions and alterations to suit the times. 

Rules and Regulations 
adopted for the 
Union Course, Long Island. 

At a meeting of the supporters and admirers of trotting 
and pacing held at the house of Messrs. Green and Jessel in 
New York on the first day of March, 1848, the following rules 
and regulations for the government of all trotting and pacing 
matches to come off on the Union Course, Long Island, was 
unanimously agreed upon : 

ARTICLE I. 

Nature of Rules. 

All matches or sweepstakes which shall come off over this 
course will be governed by these rules, unless the contrary is 
mutually agreed upon by the parties making sucii match or 
stake. 

ARTICLE II. 

Power of Postponement. 

In case of unfavorable weather or other unavoidable causes 
all purses, matches, or sweepstakes announced to come off to 



BACKWARD GLANCES 73 

which the proprietors contribute they shall have the power to 
postpone to a future day upon giving notice of the same. 

ARTICLE in. 

Qualification of Horses Starting. 

Horses trained in the same stable or owned in part by 
the same person within three days shall not start for a purse ; 
and horses so entered shall forfeit their entrance. A horse 
starting alone shall receive but one-half the purse. Horses 
deemed by the judges not fair trotting horses, shall be ruled 
off previous to or distanced at the termination of the heat. 

ARTICLE IV. 

Entries. 

All entries shall be made under a seal enclosing the en- 
trance money (ten per cent, on the purse) and addressed to 
the proprietor at such time and place as may have been pre- 
viously designated by advertisement. 

ARTICLE V. 
Weight to be Carried. 

Every trotting horse starting for match, purse or stake, 
shall carry one hundred and forty-five pounds, if in harness, 
the weight of the sulkey and harness not to be considered. 
Pacing horses liable to the same rule. 

ARTICLE VI. 
Distances. 

A distance for mile heats, best three-in-five shall be one 
hundred yards ; for one mile heats, eighty yards ; and for 
every additional mile an additional eighty yards. 



74 BACKWARD GLANCES 

ARTICLE VIL 

Time Between Heats. 

The time between heats shall be for one mile, twenty 
minutes, and for every additional mile an additional five 
minutes. 

ARTICLE VIII. 

Power of Judges. 

There shall be chosen by the proprietor of the course or 
stewards, three judges to preside over a race for purses, and 
by them an additional judge shall be appointed for the dis- 
tance stand ; they may also during or previous to a race appoint 
inspectors at any part of the course, whose reports and theirs 
alone, shall be received of any foul riding or driving. 

ARTICLE IX 
Difference of Opinion Between Judges. 

Should a difference of opinion exist between the judges 
in the starting stand on any question, a majority shall govern. 

ARTICLE X. 

Judges' Duties. 

The judges shall order the horses saddled or harnessed 
five minutes previous to the time appointed for starting : any 
rider or driver causing undue detention after being called up 
by making false starts or otherwise, the judges may give the 
word to start without reference to the situation of the horse 
so offending, unless convinced such delay is unavoidable on 
the part of the rider or driver in which case not more than 
thirty minutes shall be consumed in attempting to start, and 
at the expiration of that time the horse or horses ready to start 
shall receive the word. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 75 

ARTICLE XL 

Starting of Horses. 

The pole shall be drawn for by the judges ; the horse win- 
ning a heat shall for the succeeding heats be intitled to a 
choice of the track on coming out on the last stretch. Each 
horse shall retain the track first selected ; any horse deviating 
shall be distanced. 

ARTICLE XII. 

Riders or Drivers. 

Riders and drivers shall not be permitted to start unless 
dressed in jockey style. 

ARTICLE XIII. 

Weights of Riders and Drivers. 

Riders and drivers shall weigh in the presence of Oi.. 
or more of the judges previous to starting; and after a heat 
are to come up to the starting stand and not dismount until 
so ordered by the judges. Any rider or driver disobeying 
shall on weighing be precluded from the benefit of the weight 
of his saddle and whip, and if not full weight shall be dis- 
tanced. 

ARTICLE XIV. 

Penalty for Foul Riding or Driving. 

A rider or driver committing any act which the judges 
may deem foul riding or driving shall be distanced. 

ARTICLE XV. 

Horses Breaking. 

Should any horse break from his trot or pace it shall be 
the duty of the rider or driver to pull his horse to a trot or 



76 BACKWARD GLANCES 

pace immediately, and in case of the rider or driver refusing 
to do so, the penalty shall be that the next best horse shall 
have the heat. If the rider or driver should comply with the 
above and he should gain by such break, twice the distance so 
gained shall be taken away on the coming out. A horse break- 
ing on the score shall not lose the heat by so doing. 

ARTICLE XVI. 

The Winning Horse. 

A horse must win two heats to be entitled to the purse, 
unless he distance all other horses in one heat. A distanced 
horse in a dead heat shall not start again. 

ARTICLE XVII. 

Relative to Heats. 

A horse not winning one heat in three shall not start for a 
fourth heat unless such horse shall have made a dead heat. 
When a dead heat is made between two horses, that if either 
had won the heat the race would have been decided, they 
two only shall start again ; in races best three-in-five, a horse 
shall win one heat in five to be allowed to start for the sixth 
heat, unless such horse shall have made a dead heat. Such 
horses as are prevented from starting by this rule shall be 
considered drawn and not distanced. 

ARTICLE XVIII. 

On Heats and Distances. 

If two horses each win a heat and neither are distanced 
in the race, the one coming out ahead on the last heat to 
be considered the best. The same rule to be applied to horses 
neither winning a heat and neither distanced. If one horse 
wins a heat he is better than one that does not providing he 
does not get distanced in the race, then the other if not 



BACKWARD GLANCES ^^ 

distanced shall be the best. A horse that wins a heat and is 
distanced is better than one not winning a heat and being 
distanced in the same heat. A horse distanced in the second 
heat is better than one distanced in the first heat. 

ARTICLE XIX. 

Horses Drawn. 

Horses drawn before the conclusion of a race shall be 
considered distanced. 

ARTICLE XX. 

Outside Bets. 

In all matches made play or pay outside bets not to be 
considered P. P. unless so understood by the parties. 

ARTICLE XXI. 

Of p. p. Matches. 

All moneys bet on P. P. matches by outside bettors are 
not considered P. P. 

ARTICLE XXII. 

Betting. Absent Bettors. 

A confirmed bet cannot be let off without mutual consent. 
If either party be absent at the time of trotting, and the money 
be not staked the party present may declare the bet void in the 
presence of the judges, unless some party will stake the money 
betted for the absentee. 

ARTICLE XXIII. 

Compromised Matches. 

All bets made by outside betters on compromised matches 
are considered drawn. 



78 BACKWARD GLANCES 

ARTICLE XXIV. 

Bettors of Odds, Etc. 

The person who bets the odds has a right to choose the 
horse or the field. When he has chosen his horse, the field 
is what starts against him ; but there is no field unless one 
starts with him. If odds are bet without naming the horses 
before the trot is over it must be determined as the odds were 
at the time of making it. Bets made in trotting are not de- 
termined till the purse is won, if the heat is not specified at the 
time of betting. 

ARTICLE XXV. 

Horses Excluded from Starting or Distanced. 

All bets made on horses precluded from starting (by rule 
XIX) being distanced in the race, or on such horses against 
each other, shall be drawn. 

ARTICLE XXVI. 
In Cases of Dispute and Improper Conduct. 

In all cases of dispute not provided for by the rules, the 
judges for the day will decide finally. In case of a trot or 
match being proved to their satisfaction to have been made or 
conducted improperly or dishonestly on the part of the princi- 
pals, they shall have the power to declare all bets void. 

ARTICLE XXVII. 
Size of Whips to be Used. 

No rider or driver shall be allowed any other than a rea- 
sonable length of whip, viz : for saddle horses, two feet ten 
inches ; sulkey, four feet eight inches ; wagon, five feet ten 
inches. 




S a 



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to 

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*FLORA TExMPLE 

Died December 21, 1877, at Chestnut Hill, Pa and was 
buried on the lawn of the farm of her last owner, Aristides 

Welch. ^ ^^ ^ ^ t t 

=^Furnished by Gurney C. Gue, of Hempstead, L. 1. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 79 

ARTICLE XXVIIL 

In Case of Accidents. 

In case of accident, but five minutes shall be allowed over 
the time specified in rule number X, unless the judges think 
more time necessary. 

ARTICLE XXIX. 
Judges' Stand. 

No person shall be allowed in the judges' stand but tha 
judges, reporters and members at the time of trotting. 

ARTICLE XXX. 

In Case of Death. 

All engagements are void upon the decease of either party 
before being determined. 

Very many of the lovers of the trotter who are now ad- 
vancing in years, can glance backward and well remember the 
worthy successor at a later date of the great Lady Suffolk. I 
refer to that grand little bob-tailed mare Flora Temple. She 
was foaled about 1845 i'^ Oneida County, near Utica, sired by 
One-Eyed Hunter, dam's pedigree unknown. She trotted over 
the Union, Centerville and Fashion tracks on Long Island. 
The latter course was at Newtown and had a brick wall around 
it, with broken glass on top. The rear of the track was on 
Jackson Avenue. Flora trotted against Centerville in 1852. 
He was a dark brown gelding about sixteen hands high. I 
rode behind him and also on his back in my boyhood days. She 
also met Young Dutchman, Lady Brooks, Black Douglass and 
Highland Maid, George Spicer's great mare (later owned by 
F. J. Nodine), Tacony, Grey Eddy, Green Mountain Maid, 
Mac and Jack Waters. When she trotted against these horses 
she was owned by George E. Perrin, later by John C. Perrin, a 



8o BACKWARD GLANCES 

Mr. Boerum and Lew Pettee, being driven by Hiram Wood- 
ruff, Warren Peabody and Darius Tallman. Flora now changed 
hands, having been bought by James Irving, who sold her to 
Mr. James D. McMann, of New York. At first they owned 
her conjointly, but on Irving being mixed up in the Bill Poole 
fracas, Mr. McMann demanded that the partnership in Flora 
be dissolved, so James Irving sold his one-half interest in the 
mare to James D. McMann. Under his ownership she met 
such good ones as Sontag, Lady Franklin, Frank Forrester, 
Miller's Damsel, Hero, Chicago Jack, Lancet and Tacony. 
The Fashion Course came into existence during her career, 
about 1856, being originally constructed for a running track. 
Flora also met Brown Dick, Rose of Washington, Ethan Allen 
and the great California mare, Prii^cess, in 1861, she being 
formerly called Topsey. Flora was sold to Mr. McDonald, of 
Baltimore, in 1858, for $8,000, but remained in charge of Mr. 
McMann. When Mr. McDonald died his wife in closing up 
his estate, would not dispose of Flora Temple, as she had heard 
that her husband had promised that at his death the great mare 
should be presented to Mr. McMann. The latter went on to 
Baltimore, saw Mrs. McDonald and thoroughly dispelled all 
and any grounds which existed to foster this belief. One of 
the most honorable horseman of those days, it was not surpris- 
ing when he gave this decision in which he might greatly have 
profited if decided otherwise. She beat Prince, Reindeer and 
George M. Patchen in 1859. The latter horse belonged to Mr. 
Watermire. Flora was at this time fourteen years old. One 
of the prominent road drivers was Edward Pear sail, who 
resided at No. 3 Waverly Place. He was the owner of Em- 
press, the dam of Lady Emma, who was sired by the sorrel 
stallion Jupiter, owned by Dr. Rich, of New York. Mr. Pear- 
sail sold Emma to Carl Burr, who resold her to Lew Pettee. 
She was in Hiram Woodruff's hands. Others were Cornelius 
Vanderbilt, Wm. Turnbull, George Osgood, Joseph Harker, 
Henry Eldert, Charles Kerner, Wm. H. Vanderbilt, Anson Liv- 
ingston, Capt. Jacob Vanderbilt, August Belmont, James Bres- 
lin, A. B. Darling, Charles Weeks, Leonard Jerome and his 



BACKWARD GLANCES 8i 

brother Lawrence, Frank Work, M. L. Mott, Wm. Rockafeller, 
Wright Sandford, John Harbeck, J. W. Coster, Isaiah Ryn- 
ders, George Law, C. A. Griswold, George Burnett, James Wat- 
son, Lew Pettee, Henry Genet, Joe Crocheron, Daniel Under- 
bill, Jacob Somerindike, Robert Bonner and David Bonner, 
Joseph Godwin, Harry Felter, J. H. Flagler, Sheppard F. 
Knapp, Thomas Kilpatrick, Oliver Marshall, John A. Morris- 
sey, pugilist and politician, at one time congressman. 

Many celebrated horses came on the turf at that time 
and at a later date such as Robert Fillingham (afterwards 
George Wilkes), Contraband (afterwards General Butler), 
Dexter, Lady Thorn, Goldsmith Maid, Prince, American Girl, 
Lady Emma, Judge FuUerton, Mountain Boy, Vanderbilt, 
Toronto Chief, Tom Wonder, Pocahontas, Plough Boy, Wood- 
pecker, Thomas Jefferson, Bruno, Brunette and Great Eastern, 
also George M. Patchen (stallion). He was foaled at Free- 
hold, New Jersey, was brown in color, being sixteen hands 
high, sired by Cassius M, Qay, dam by brother of Trustee. 

One of the hardest races that Flora was ever engaged in 
was against the chestnut gelding Medoc, afterwards called 
John Morgan. His sire was Pilot, Jr., son of old Pilot Pacer, 
dam was by the race horse Medoc, a son of American Eclipse. 
Morgan had a white foot and a blaze in the face, big horse, 
sixteen hands high, strongly built in every particular. Jim 
Turner was one of his owners and drove him in his races 
against Flora, There was really up to 1863 nothing that could 
be found that she had not vanquished, so they pitted her 
against Ethan Allen and running mate on the Union Course. 
They succeeded in beating her in two minutes, twenty-two 
seconds. Horace Jones drove them. They met again on the 
Fashion Track. The team won the first heat in two minutes 
twenty-one and three quarter seconds, and were distanced in 
the second. In the next race Horace Jones drove them and 
they beat the mare. Mr. McDonald owned her at this time. 
It was about 1864 when the great gelding Dexter came into 
prominence. He was bred in Orange County, sired by Hamb- 
letonian, dam by American Star. He was foaled in 18^8. 
8 



82 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Well do I remember him — his white legs and blaze in his face. 
George Alley purchased him and sent him up to John Mingoe's 
at Flushing, Long Island. He was always driven by Hiram 
Woodruff as long as Mr. Alley owned him. He trotted against 
Stonewall Jackson, Lady Collins and General Grant on the 
Fashion Course and won the race in two minutes thirty-four 
and one quarter seconds, best time. Dexter also met Lady 
Shannon, Shark, General Butler, George Wilkes, Rocking- 
ham and Commodore Vanderbilt. The only trotter that ever 
took his measure was the big mare Lady Thorne, who was 
owned by Mr. James D. McMann. This fast one was from 
Kentucky, sired by Mambrino Chief. She had beaten Stone- 
wall Jackson and was matched against Dexter to trot on the 
Union Course. She won the race, best time two minutes, 
twenty-four seconds. They met three times after this, Dexter 
winning each time. It was the general opinion among horse- 
men that if she had not met with an accident while being 
loaded in a freight car, that she would have been "The Lady 
Suffolk" of her day. At the time Hiram had Dexter in his 
stable he also had Lady Emma, whom my father raised. T 
saw her in a wagon race on the Fashion track, in 1865, beat 
General Butler, John Morgan and the Hartford horse Prince, 
and later on the Union Course saw her beat George Wilkes in 
harness. This mare was a light chestnut, long tail, and carried 
her head high. Without exception, I have always considered 
that she was the most perfect piece of horse flesh in every 
particular that I have ever seen in my life, and I have seen 
very many. 

There were several stage lines on Long Island during 
these days, one of them being a three-horse stage that be- 
longed to Judson Cornelius and was driven by Daniel Cniches- 
ter from Amityville (which was originally called Huntington 
South) to Fulton Ferry. It would start about 7 o'clock in the 
morning, making the first stop at Hewlett's Hotel, Main Street, 
Hempstead, where the horses were watered : thence on to 
Jamaica, stopping at Remsen's Hotel, then taking the old turn- 
pike road past the Union Course, through East New York and 



BACKWARD GLANCES 83 

Bedford, down through Fulton Street to the American House 
at the ferry. This hotel was kept by Com. Jones, later by 
Martin Wood. It would reach this destination about 6:30 
P. M. The fare was fifty cents ; on the railroad it would cost 
$1.00. Many of the natives of the vicinity of Freeport (then 
called Raynortown) and Greenwich Point (then called Rum 
Point), near Hempstead, availed of these stages in going to 
"York," as New York was called. The stage would return 
the next day over the same route. It was a great treat to sit 
up on the front seat with the driver. Another line belonged to 
the Curtis family, who kept a hotel corner of Main and Fulton 
Streets, Hempstead. It also ran to Brooklyn. 

Montgomery Queen was one of the pioneers of stages in 
Brooklyn, and his four-horse stage sleighs were the wonders 
of the day. Old Brooklynites will readily recall them, as also 
Phil Grogan, who kept an oyster house in Fulton Street; 
Dominick Colgan, one in Clinton Street, and the great chop 
and ale house of John C. Force, 16 High Street, near Fulton, 
where he had over $100,000 worth of paintings on his walls.' 
John Russell kept an ale house on the corner of Johnson and 
Washington Streets; Tom Blakely (The Bank) in Fulton 
Street; Hartshorn's was at Adams and Willoughby Streets; 
Zeke Baldwin, the Franklin House at Fulton Ferry; Mike 
Henry, champion ball player, also in Fulton Street, near Front, 
kept a hostelry. John Ferguson kept a billiard room on Wash- 
ington Street near Johnson, opposite old St. John's Church, 
later the site of the ill-fated Brooklyn Theatre. Ferguson's 
was the headquarters of the Excelsior baseball club ,whose 
great rivals were the Atlantics, of Brooklyn ; Mutuals, Knick- 
erbockers and Gothams, of New York. James Creighton was 
the great pitcher of the Excelsiors, and from that day to this 
we have never seen his equal. His monument is in Green- 
wood. Joe Leggett was the catcher; Pearsall, first base; Asa 
Brainard. second base; Flanly, shortstop; Cummings, in the 
field. 

Mr. Chadwick, of the Stars, always reported the games for 
the press. This grand old veteran died on the 21st of April, 



84 BACKWARD GLANCES 

1908, the funeral taking place on the 24th, which was largely 
attended by old Brooklynites and baseball lovers. The Stars 
of Brooklyn was the nursery out of which graduated the great 
players of the Excelsior Club. Dickey Pierce and the O'Briens 
were members of the Atlantic Club. The Elysian Fields of 
Hoboken was the grounds of the New York Clubs, Gothams, 
Knickerbockers and others and when a Brooklyn club played 
them there, it was Rough-house, and the ferryboat coming 
home to New York was a dangerous spot as fight predom- 
inated. 



CHAPTER NINE 

AT this part of my narrative I desire to retrogade d 
few years back to the two, three and four-mile 
heats, which were trotted in Lady Suffolk's day. A 
horse's endurance quality was viewed as a valuable 
adjunct, and it was even carried to wagers being made that 
teams could not trot certain distances in a given time. The 
one I call to mind was the remarkable performance of a pair 
cf stage horses in 1841, this being the year that the author of 
this article first made his appearance on this mundane sphere, 
the first day of spring, 21st of March. 

The account was given by Wm. Jones Weeks (cousin of 
the writer), who saw the register of the house at Montauk 
Point, Long Island, in 1847. The account on the register, 
which was kept by P. T. Gould, who was keeper of the light- 
house at that time, was : Match against time for $600, between 
Mr. Isaac Willets from Hempstead, and Mr. Gilbert B. Millei 
of Brooklyn. 

Mr. Willets bet Mr. Miller that he could drive a pair of 
mares, one belonging to John Curtis and the other to Joseph 
Curtis, from Brooklyn to Montauk Point in twenty-four hours 
to a wagon weighing 300 pounds, being 140 miles by the post 
road, in the month of March, 1841. 

Mr. Willets started from Brooklyn on the fifth day at six 
in the evening and arrived at the Point on the sixth at 5 :o2 
P. M., performing the distance in twenty-three hours and two 
minutes with ease. The last two hours in a snowstorm, wind 
east. 

Isaac Willets, of Hempstead, 
Gilbert B. Miller, of Brooklyn, 
Platt Willets, of Hempstead, 
William Curtis, of Hempstead, 
E. M. Snedicor, of Jamaica, 
Samuel Denton, of Jamaica, 
Samuel Willets, of Bellport, 
Charles E. Snedicor, of Southampton, 
Robert Isaacs Pilot, of Easthampton. 

85 



86 BACKWARD GLANCES 

(The above names in the register are original signatures). 
The following item is from the Long Island Star, pub- 
lished in Brooklyn, under date of Wednesday, March lo, 1841 : 

The Trotting Match 

The match of $300 a side to drive a pair of horses before 
a light wagon to Montauk Point, 140 miles, in twenty- four 
hours, was accomplished with ease by Mr. Willets, and he had 
one hour and six minutes to spare. The snowstorm, which 
commenced here on Saturday morning, was no impediment and 
not felt until 3 o'clock in the afternoon at Easthampton, where 
the rain fell moderately, as the wind was about northeast. This 
fact concerning the course and progress of storms may be of 
some importance as illustrative of Mr. Espy's theory. 

The foregoing copy of the entry in the register kept at 
Montauk Point in 1841, is the only authentic and reliable 
account of the match, although in Volume Fifteen of the 
"American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine' issued in 
August, 1844, the following account was given of this per- 
formance : 

A pair of stage horses trotted from Brooklyn to Mon- 
tauk Point, the extreme length of the Island, about one hun- 
dred and twenty-six miles in twenty-four hours. The match 
was made by Mr. Willis, the stage proprietor at Hempstead, 
who drove a pair of old mares that had been driven for years 
as leaders in his stage team. 

A good joke is told of this match, but we do not vouch 
for its authenticity. A short time before the match was to 
come off, Mr. Willets selected his horses, and to make assur- 
ance doubly sure as he thought, actually drove them the entire 
distance in a trial to ascertain whether it would be safe to lay 
out his money on the match. If any one has heard of a longer 
private trial, we should like to hear of it. The match was 
driven during a northeast snowstorm dead ahead, but the 
last fifty miles Willets partly avoided this by engaging a large 
Rockaway covered wagon to go before him out of which the 



BACKWARD GLANCES ^7 

bottom was mostly taken, so that he could drive his mares quite 
up to the axletree and almost under cover. We think we see 
a man "getting ahead" of a Long Island Yankee — we do. 

In addition to the foregoing members of the Excelsiors 
as constituting part of their great "Nine," the following filled 
the other positions, Harry Brainard, third base, Russell and 
Manley in the field. The feeling between the Atlantics and 
Excelsiors, the two home clubs was really more bitter than 
existed between them and their New York rivals, including the 
Empires as also the Athletics of Philadelphia. James Creigh- 
ton's style of pitching the ball I desire to comment on as he 
pitched it instead of throwing it (the present method). His 
delivery of same was like a ball out of a gun. It was freely 
told at the time that in his spare moments his practice was 
against a barn door, and in doing so, got in all the curves to 
bother the man at the bat. He died from an injury received 
in this sport, so it was reported at the time. A marble bail 
and bat constitute part of his monument. 

Dan Dean and his brother Tom kept a billiard room in 
Montague Hall, Court Street, corner of Montague, and Lam- 
bert Suydam one in the rear of the Academy of Music on 
Montague Street. These places were the headquarters for 
the meeting of baseball lovers, as also the volunteer firemen. 

General Thomas Dakin, of the Thirteenth Regiment, was 
a member of the Pastimes or Eckfords, and if I remember 
right, our much respected U. S. Commissioner, Hon. John 
Shields, was an enthusiastic baseball player as a young man, 
being the left-handed pitcher of the Putnams, up on the hill. 

The Park Theatre was on Fulton Street opposite the 
City Hall — the first theatre to have a stock company in Brook- 
lyn. It was erected by Gabriel Harrison. He was an actor 
and took part there in all its productions. Previous to the 
building of this theatre, Brooklyn residents were forced to 
go to New York for entertainment of this kind, and on their 
way home by the Fifth Avenue Omnibus Line to Fulton 
Ferry, they would invariably stop in to Dorian & Schafer's 
Oyster saloon in Fulton Market for refreshments, where you 



88 BACKWARD GLANCES 

could get the very best fish and oysters in New York. Under 
Harrison's management, this theatre was not a success, event- 
ually merging into the hands of Frederic B, Conway, who was 
its manager for many years, with his wife. Her name was 
Sarah Crocker. She was a sister of Mrs. Bowers, a well- 
known actress, and the mother ot Minnie Conway, who mar- 
ried Levy, the great cornetist. Fred Conway was an English- 
man and was very popular at the old Broadway Theatre be- 
fore he went to Brooklyn. Hooley's minstrels were on the 
corner of Court and Remsen Streets. They met with great 
success for many years. Archie Hughes, one of the end men, 
was a whole show himself. You would never forget him. 
Hooley played the violin in black face in the circle on the 
stage and then in the orchestra for the after acts. The Dime 
Savings Bank subsequently covered the site of this old home 
of negro minstrelsy. Hooley went to Chicago and made a 
great success there in the theatrical business, being the founder 
of Hooley's Theatre on Randolph Street, opposite the Court 
House in that city. His treasurer, who helped him to succeed, 
was Bliss Whitaker, son of an undertaker from Hempstead, 
Long Island. The Academy of Music was the largest theatre 
in Brooklyn. It was erected on Montague Street, between 
Court and Clinton, in about 1860-61. The sanitary fair was 
held in this building during the war. I must also refer to an 
episode in which the writer took a hand, which happened dur- 
ing the late seventies. 

A celebrated European songstress was about to make a 
tour of the United States in grand opera under the manage- 
ment of a prominent theatrical manager of New York, Henry 
E. Abbey, who paid her a fabulous price for each performance, 
$4,000. 

The opening night was to be in Brooklyn as a start-oflF, 
it being held in the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Great prep- 
arations were made to make it a success in every way. The 
lobby of the house was filled with flowers, a band was on the 
sidewalk playing as the audience assembled and every seat in 
the house was sold, the top gallery bringing $2.00 each. The 



BACKWARD GLANCES 89 

opera went off with great eclat and after same the closing per- 
formance took place. It was fully 1 1 130 o'clock when the 
audience emerged from the opera, delighted with the evening's 
performance. On reaching the sidewalk a large band was 
playing on the side opposite the Academy. Every one seemed 
to loiter to see what it all meant and what was to come after, 
A carriage, with a grand pair of bay horses attached, stood 
at the stage entrance of the building waiting for the great 
artist to take her, with her husband, back to New York ru 
her hotel. As she emerged, attended by several New York 
friends, who put her in the carriage with her husband, a trans- 
formation scene at once took place. The horses, who ap- 
peared attached to the vehicle were in, say five seconds, coni 
pletely detached and a rope was run out some fifty feet, whicn 
had been fastened to the whiffletree. At the same moment a 
squad of about thirty young men, in full dress suits, who had 
been to the opera, at a given signal, manned the rope and amid 
huzzas of the multitude pulled the carriage, with its precious 
occupants, down Montague Street to the private entrance 01 
the Pierpont House on Remsen and Henry Streets, where a 
grand supper was given to the prima donna and the press. 
The next morning all the newspapers gave elaborate accounrs 
of the opera and the after event, proclaiming that the populace 
of Brooklyn went wild, not being able to restrain their enthu- 
siasm, had pulled the horses from the carriage and dragged tc 
themselves to its destination. The real facts were that the 
matter was all arranged some weeks ahead, and the head car- 
man of a prominent piano manufacturing house engineered 
the whole part as referring to the horses, while the young 
men who did the pulling act were formerly members of the 
old volunteer fire department of Brooklyn, assisted by mem- 
bers of a militia regiment and the Brooklyn Club. At this 
point I desire to give some reasons which were innumerable 
which led to the passing by the legislature at Albany of a bill 
for the paid fire department in New York and Brooklyn, there- 
by abolishing the volunteer system, and although it looked to 
an outsider that it was done in the interest of politicians to 



90 BACKWARD GLANCES 

make a large number of positions for their benefit, the volun- 
teers were largely responsible for the causes in the mam 
which started the agitation culminating in their over throw. 
Ruffianism was rampant to a large degree and although it was 
not a legal member who was the aggressor, they got the blame 
all the same, the real culprit being what was termed a runner 
or hanger on. Most every company had a few of these in- 
dividuals always looking for a scrimmage. Certainly great 
rivalry existed which apparatus should get to the fire first, 
especially companies who layed close to each other, and when 
started, it was then a rush for a hydrant and a controversy 
would likely ensue, who got there first and who should have it. 
On their way to obstruct their rival to try to pass, they would 
swing right into an opponent's machine and drive it against 
the curb, anyway to carry their point and get ahead. Then 
when at a fire more water was thrown on than was needed and 
a water fight would ensue in many cases, one party on one 
side of a building having the pipe on a line of hose, and an- 
other on the opposite side. Instead of putting the water on 
the fire they would play it upon each other and try to drown 
them out. So bitter was the feeling that was engendered, that 
even on their way home to their headquarters they could not 
refrain from a row. The last one I saw by the New York 
Department was on Broadway close to John Street, just as 
the old volunteer department was going out of existence. 
Only in one case did the writer sufifer from this intense rivalry. 
Alongside of his company while passing No. 5 engine on 
Myrtle Avenue opposite Fort Green in 1866, a hoodlum ran 
out from the sidewalk and struck the author of this in the 
face. The fire cap falling ofif by force of the blow, gave him 
no chance to protect himself by use of his trumpet, as he was 
trying to recover his cap. By this time the assailant vanished. 
The members of No. 5 engine saw the dastardly act, and on 
arrival at the fire two or three of their representative members 
came and offered a most abject apology for the act of a party 
not a member of their organization. Many acts of bravery 
I can well remember during my experience of seven or eight 



BACKWARD GLANCES 91 

years as a volunteer of the Brooklyn Fire Department as a 
member of Atlantic Hose Company No. i, too numerous to 
mention. After forty-six years past they come back in a most 
vivid manner. 

We will now resume getting back to the horses again. 
Many of the regular track drivers, such as Darius Tallman, 
Sam McLaughlin, Horace Jones, Dan Mace, Ben Mace, Dun 
Walton, Eph Simmons, George Spicer, Doty, Jake Somerin- 
dyke, and Charley Green, made their homes in New York, while 
Hiram Woodruff, Sim Hoagland, James Whelply, William 
Whelan, F. J. Nodine, Dan Pfifer, Isaac Woodruff made their 
homes either in Brooklyn or in Queens County ; and among the 
Brooklyn road drivers was James Weaver, whose son, young 
James, married a daughter of Mayor Kalbfleisch. Mr. Weaver, 
Sr., owned the chestnut stallion. Honest Dutchman. He made a 
match with Wm. M. Parks, who resided on Montague Street, 
near Henry, to trot a race over Prospect Park track against his 
black four-year-old, Prospero, by Messenger Duroc, for $5,000 
a side. Dan Pfifer drove Honest Dutchman, Charles G. Green 
drove Prospero. Dutchman was shut out the first heat, time 
about two minutes forty seconds. This race took place eight 
or ten years after this celebrated track came into existence, 
which was later than those before enumerated. It was at 
Gravesend, and is now called the Gravesend track, being used 
for running races. I think it was projected about 1863. The 
foregoing race was in 1873. ^^- Parks also owned Red 
Jacket, a fast roan horse. It was about the same time that the 
great match race between the chestnut gelding. Judge Fuller- 
ton, owned by William Humphrey, and the big bay mare, 
American Girl, owned by William Lovell, both of New York 
took place on this track, being won by the mare. A large 
lot of money changed hands on the result of this race. The 
Fullerton adherents went home to New York with very empty 
pockets. 

The Deer foot half-mile track was nearer Brooklyn. It 
was subsequently bought by Mr. John H. Shults. Among other 
prominent drivers on the road was Benjamin Prince, who 



92 BACKWARD GLANCES 

owned Lady Anne and Democrat. Shiptimber was also owned 
in Brooklyn, as also Petroleum, who was a pacer and could 
pace a half-mile in fifty-nine seconds. I can also call to mind 
William Hunter, George Hunt, James Brundage, Wm. Van 
Anden, John Cornell, Fred Dietz, Charles Moser, Thomas 
Jackson, Doctor Talmage, Felix Campbell, Samuel Jackson, 
Evert Snedicor, Lambert Suydam, Whitson Oakley, Arthur 
Benson, George Floyd-Jones, who owned several good ones, 
such as Lady Blanche, Scar-Faced Charley, Boston Boy and 
many others, also A. G. Gwathniey, who is the owner of the 
fast gelding, Tiverton, two minutes four and one-half sec- 
onds, of the present day. Before bidding adieu to the Brook- 
lyn contingent reference must be made to Uncle Dan Willets. 
He was truely one of the old guard of road drivers, and owned 
many a crackerjack. He resided in Columbia Street, on the 
Heights. One of the best that he ever owned was the suck- 
ling filly Tempest, by Hambletonian, dam Coquette, by Jupi- 
ter. She was sold to him by my father, the late Elbert Floyd- 
Jones, who raised her, for the sum of $i,ooo. Her name was 
afterwards changed to Nettie Plummer, the dam of Harry 
Plummer. She ended her days on the farm of that old horse- 
man, Charles Kerner, at Great Barrington, Massachuestts. The 
fast gelding. Little Dick, record about two minutes nine and 
one-half seconds, who is now owned in New Jersey, in his 
declining years, traces his pedigree back to this well-bred mare. 
I append the contents of a paper, which I found among 
the efifects of the raiser and first owner of Tempest, which truly 
speaks for itself, showing that Little Dick and every other one 
of these times, that can trace back to her and have such a pedi- 
gree, are surely born in the purple: 



South Oyster Bay, May 17, li 

Seaford p. O., Long Island. 
"To all who may be concerned : I make the following 
statement to wit: 

"In the summer of 1838, my father purchased a chestnut 
mare from the farmer of Samuel Gardiner, of Shelter Island, 



r 







AMERICAN ECLIPSE 
Running Horsk 

Dark sorrel with a star 15 hands 3 inches in height. 

Sired hy Duroc. a Virginia Horse; Dam Miller's Dam- 
sel, by Imported Messenger. 

Foaled 25th of May, 1814, on farm of Nathaniel Coles; 
his Breeder Dosoris, Queens County, Long Island, N. Y. 

Died at SnELnvviLLE, Kenti.'cky, on the farm of Wilson 
Yates, July nth, 1847. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 93 

Long Island. The man stated to my father (as my father 
told me) that the mare was then five years old and was raised 
on the farm of Mr. Gardiner and that Mr. Gardiner purchased 
the dam of the mare from Mr. Stevens, of Hoboken (I do not 
recollect which it was John or Robert Stevens), and that Mr. 
Gardiner told him that Mr. Stevens told him that she was in 
foal by Old Henry. I named the mare Suffolk Maid, as there 
was a mare called Lady Suffolk, and also one called Maid of 
Suffolk. In proof of the assertion of the farmer, several years 
after, and when I then owned Suffolk Maid, I chanced to be 
snowbound on the Long Island Railroad for some days and 
came in contact with Mr, Samuel Gardiner. I told him that I 
was anxious to learn from him, personally, the pedigree of the 
mare my father purchased from his farmer. He then corrob- 
orated all that the farmer had told my father, and added that 
he did not recollect the breeding of the dam, but that she was 
well-bred. My conversation with Mr. Gardiner satisfied me 
and ought to satisfy any fair-minded man, that the sire of 
Suffolk Maid was Old Henry. 

"In conclusion, I bred Suffolk Maid to Jupiter and raised 
a mare called Coquette, and Coquette I bred to old Hamble- 
tonian, and from her a filly which I called Tempest, and sold 
to Daniel Willets, and which I am told was afterwards called 
Nettie Plummer. Although some of the above is from mem- 
ory, yet I herewith make my affidavit, that to the best of my 
knowledge and belief, the statement made above is correct, and 
that there is not the least doubt but that Suffolk Maid was 
sired by Old Henry, the competitor of Eclipse." (The author 
remembers well both Suffolk Maid and Coquette ; rode behind 
them many times in a wagon and also under saddle). 

Sir Henry was the horse that ran the great race on May 2'], 
1823, against Eclipse, the latter being the victor. It was the 
North against the South and some $200,000 was wagered on 
this contest. It took place on the old Union Course, Long 
Island. Sir Henry represented the South. He was bred by 
Lemuel Long, near Halifax, in the State of North Carolina, 
foaled on the 17th day of June, 1819. He was sired by Sir 



94 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Archy (son of imported Chestnut Diomed) his dam by Diomed, 
grandam by Belle Air, g. g. dam by Pilgrim, g. g. g. dam by 
Valiant, g. g. g. g. dam by Janus, g. g. g. g. g. by Jolly Roger, 
which four last named were imported horses and are found 
in the English stud books. The match was made by William 
R. Johnson, of Baltimore, with John C. Stevens, of Hoboken, 
New Jersey. 

Before closing up references to the doings of celebrated 
horses (trotters), I would like to refer to the great advance 
recorded in their speed from that of the Boston Pony in 1818 
to that of the present period. Certainly the improvement in 
breeding has had the largest part to do with it, but other 
causes have materially helped in a large degree, such as light 
shoeing, light harness, boots of all kinds with toe weights, and 
last but not by anyway least, is the bicycle sulkey weighing 
twenty-nine pounds. I am not willing to concede that the 
drivers of to-day are any more proficient than those of sixty 
years ago, such as Hiram Woodruff, F. J. Nodine, William 
Whelan, George Spicer, Mr. McMann, Dan Pfiffer, Horace 
Jones, Sam McLaughlin, and later Dan Mace, Budd Doble, 
John Splan, Charley Green, John Murphy and others. We 
really cannot date the accelerated speed in horses from the 
year 1818, in which year the feat was performed on the turn- 
pike at Jamaica, Long Island, but from 1845, 1-ady Suffolk's 
day, to 19 1 2, sixty-seven years. 

Time made on trotting tracks in harness 2 :29J/2 to i 158 
— Difference 31^ seconds. 

Lady Suffolk Oct. 13. 1845 2 :29i^ 

Flora Temple Oct. 15, 1850 2:19^ 

Dexter Aug. 14. 1867 2 -.17^ 

Goldsmith Maid Sept. 2, 1874 2 :i4 

Maud S July 30, 1885 2 :o8^ 

Sunol Oct. 20, 1891 2 :o8i4 

Nancy Hanks Sept. 28, 1892 2 :o4 

Alix Sept. 19. 1894 2:03^ 

The Abbott Sept. 25, 1900 2 :03i4 

Cresceus Aug. 2, 1901 2 :02i/i 



BACKWARD GLANCES 95 



Major Del Mar Sept. 25, 1903 2 

Lou Dillon Oct. 24, 1903 i :58^4 

Uhlan Oct. 8, 1912 1:58 

Uhlan Oct. 6, 1913 One quarter 27 



The author of this work has had the honor of officiat- 
ing as a judge and timer of a very large number of trotting 
races, having officially timed several thousand heats, the most 
famous ones being: 

Lou Dillon, Aug. 17, 1903, against time. Brighton Beach, 
first quarter 28^; mile 2:0394- 

Dan, Patch, pacer, Aug. 19, 1903. against time. Brighton 
Beach i -.^g. 

Prince Alert, pacer, Sept. 23, 1903, against time. Empire 
Track, with wind shield i i^y. 

"Swift," trotter, Sept. 1903, in race. Empire Track 2:07. 
Major Del Mar. trotter, Sept. 25, 1903, against time. 
Empire Track with wind shield 2. 

"King Chimes" and "Governor Holt" against time. Em- 
pire Track, Aug. 6, 1905, time 2:13^, to wagon driven by 
amateur W. C. Floyd Jones. 

King Direct, pacer, in a race 1906 driven by amateur 
James Butler, Empire Track, world's wagon record 2 104 -)4. 

King Direct, pacer, against time. Driven by amateur 
James Butler, Empire Track, wagon record 1906 2 104^. 

Bolivar, pacer, 1907, against time. One half mile track 
White Plains, New York, track record 2 :o8. 

Uhlan, trotter, against time. One half mile track Goshen, 
August, 1911, world's record, timed by writer unofficial 2:02^. 
Colorado E., Trotter — in race — Empire Track — three 
year olds, Aug. 23, 1910, 2:07^. 

In. addition to the race trades of old times, before men- 
tioned, I find in "Champlain," Rev. Edmund Banks Smith's 
records, after years of research by him that a race track ex- 
isted on Governors Lsland in 1784, Governor George Clinton 
having leased same to a Dr. Price. Races were run there in 
1 784- 1 785. 



96 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Extreme Speed for Team Racing. 

Lady Palmer and Flatbush Maid, May lo, 1862. Time 
2 :26. Driven by amateur Robert Bonner. 

Bruno and Brunette, Sept. 11, 1867. Time 2:2^%. Driven 
by a professional. 

Small Hopes and Lady Mac, Sept. 11, 1877. Time 2:23. 
Driven by amateur Wm. H. Vanderbilt. 

Mill Boy and Jay Gould, Sept. 23, 1881. Time 2:22. 
Driven by amateur John Shepard. 

Edward and Dick Swiveller, July 13, 1882. Time 2:16^. 
Driven by a professional, 

Maud S. and Aldine, June 14, 1883. Time 2:1^}^. 
Driven by amateur Wm. H. Vanderbilt. 

Belle Hamlin and Globe, July 4, 1892. Time 2:12. 
Driven by a professional. 

The Monk and Equity, Oct, 21, 1904. Time 2:07^. 
Driven by amateur C. K. G. Billings. 

King Chimes and Governor Holt, Aug. 6, 1905. Time 
2:13^. Driven by amateur W. C. Floyd-Jones. 

Uhlan and Lewis Forrest, Oct. 15, 1912. Time 2:0314. 
Driven by a professional. 

Extreme Speed for Half Mile Track. 

Uhlan at Goshen, New York, August, 191 1. Time 2:02^. 
Driven by a professional. World's record. 

Extreme Speed for Two Year Old Colt. 

Peter Volo, trotter, by Peter the Great in race Oct. 6, 
1913, 2:043^. 

Lady Suffolk was twelve years old when she trotted in 
2:29^. 

At the age of nine to twelve it was believed that the great- 
est speed could be shown by a trotter. 



CHAPTER TEN 

RETURNING again to Broadway, which we deserted 
to follow the trotters, finds us at the corner of 
Houston Street. The Revere House was on the 
southeast corner and was kept by Charles Coe. 
Among his string of trotters was the black mare Emma C, 
who trotted on old Fleetwood in its declining days. She was 
sired by Timothy Jackson's Superb, being a full sister to the 
black mare with a blaze face called Daisy and owned by John 
Hendrickson, of Jamaica, Long Island, and later by W. Chaun- 
cey Floyd-Jones, who in 1907 campaigned the great mare Mar- 
garet O., 2.0514- Daisy was on the turf at about the same 
period as Emma C.^, and trotted on the same track, and many 
good races in competition with the bay mare Maud, owned by 
Thomas Disbrow, of Jamaica, were had. The latter mare gen- 
erally had a little the best of the argument. 

LReddy the Blacksmith had a saloon on Broadway just 
e Houston Street, east side, which catered to the under 
world and the Allen Brothers Mart and "The" ran the St. 
Bernard Hotel, corner Mercer and Prince Streets of the same 
description. Tony Pastor who started on the Bowery as the 
"Clown" graduated in Broadway, west side near Houston 
Street, subsequently Fourteenth Street Tammany Hall "variety 
kind." 

Harry Hill's public house and dance hall was on the cor- 
ner of Houston and Crosby Streets. His country place was 
on the shell road facing Flushing Bay. This sporting character 
was fond of horses and kept quite a number of good ones in 
his barns. Houston Street, just east of Broadway, was largely 
filled with English ale and chop houses, such as Clifton's, 
House of Lords, House of Commons and others. St. Thomas' 
Church was on the northwest corner of this street, being next 
door to Henry Maillard's celebrated chocolate ice cream and 
candy place. | This church burned down in the early fifties^ 
J 97 



98 BACKWARD GLANCES 

was rebuilt and subsequently removed to Fifth Avenue and 
Fifty-third Street. Fire seems to have followed it even tliere, 
as it was totally destroyed again in 1906. Florence's eating 
house and saloon was in the basement of the southwest cornf. 
This was considered a first-class place to feed the inner man. 
It was also the headquarters of the second or third rate prize 
fighters, such as Billy Mulligan and Pat Mathews. If cor- 
nered, men of this type would result to any unfair means to 
carry their point. It was also the rendezvous of Joe Coburn. 
He got into an argument with Mathews in about i860, and 
although he was the champion heavy weight, Pat had the best 
of him. Mulligan was quite a dude. He and Pat met in 
Bleecker Street and had a bad scrap. Mathews was gen', rally 
liked. Mulligan was shot to death from across the street by 
the California Vigilance Committee in San Francisco. 

John Camel Heenan, the Benecia boy a native American 
and John Morrissey, an Irishman, were the noted pugilists of 
i860. Heenan had whipped Tom Sayres in England, although 
the fight was called a draw, so he was considered a top notcher 
at that kind of business. Heenan and Morrissey gave a spar- 
ring exhibition together at Hoymes Theatre on the Bowery. 
Heenan was considered a handsome man and a very scientific 
boxer. Morrissey was a hard fighter and defeated Heenan 
about 1859 in Canada, but Heenan made him look cheap as a 
fancy sparrer. Heenan also sparred at the New Bowery The- 
atre, which was on the Bowery near Division Street, east side 
with Aaron Jones and Murphy, the Irish Giant. About that 
time Sam Collier and Billy Edwards were at the head of the 
list in the light weight class. In the early seventies there was 
quite a noted resort on the west side of Broadway extending 
through to Fifth Avenue near Twenty-second Street. It 
was kept by George and Jerry Thomas, being an eating saloon 
and bar room. One of the greatest attractions of the place 
was a collection of cartoons made by Thomas Nast, which he 
got up for the Sanitary Fair during the war. It was popula. 
for strangers visiting New York to see these relics. Jerry 



BACKWARD GLANCES 99 

Thomas eventually went to Denver where he died. The Lotos 
Qub now possesses most of these pictures. 

(^ The beginning of the cheap concert rooms began about 
1859-60. Canterbury Hall, formerly Mozart Hall, Broadway 
near Houston Street, and the Melodeon, near Spring Street 
(Chinese Assembly Rooms), were the first of the kind of 
these vile places of recreation, which spread like a disease to 
other parts of Broadway and to the Bowery, even up to West 
Twenty-third Street and Sixth Avenue. There were per- 
formances on the stage and tables in front of same, on which 
was served liquors, cigars and refreshments, the waiters being 
girls./ Koster and Bials was on West Twenty-third Street 
near Sixth Avenue and was very prominent of its kind. Bar- 
more and McCoUough's ice cream saloon was on Broadway 
near Eighth Street. The Sinclair House being on the south- 
east corner of Eighth Street. Mr. Barmore was the orgamzti 
of the Knickerbocker Ice Company, and resided at Bayside, 
Long Island. 

Close to this locality was the noted house, No. 31 Bond 
Street, it being in a row of grand brick residences extending 
from Broadway to the Bowery, occupied by old citizens. It 
was on January 31, 1857, when the great Burdell murder took 
place at this location. Doctor Harvey Burdell, a prominent 
dentist, who had his home here, was found murdered in his 
room. The house was kept by a widow, Mrs. Emma Augusta 
Cunningham, who had two grown-up daughters. The other 
boarders were a Mr .John H. Eckles, who was in the hide and 
fat business in First Avenue, and a young man named Snod- 
grass, son of a clergyman at Warwick, New York, and Dan 
Ullman, a prominent politician. All of these people were 
brought into the case in a most unpleasant way, being sus- 
picioned. No case of its kind ever attracted so much in- 
terest in New York as this one did. Crowds of people were 
in front of No. 31 daily for weeks, and years afterwards 
strangers would stop on the sidewalk and view the house. 
Extras were gotten out three or four times daily by the news- 
papers, describing the latest phase of the tragedy. Frank 



100 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Leslie's Illustrated, a weekly paper, got out two editions a 
week with harrowing wood cuts depicting everything horrible, 
but the papers sold, and that was what was desired. 

The mystery which has hung over this foul deed has 
never been dispelled. Mrs. Cunningham, after trying to palm 
off a bogus baby, as the heir of Dr. Burdell, the fraud being 
discovered, left for California, where she died. 

Laura Keene's New Theatre was just above Houston 
Street on the east side of Broadway, number 624. It was 
opened November 18, 1856. It was owned by James Meinell, 
who resided at South Oyster Bay, Long Island. His heirs 
were three daughters, who now reside in France. He also had 
two sons. Laura Keene played "Camille" here, as also "The 
American Cousin," when the elder Sothern made his mark as 
"Lord Dundreary" and "Brother Sam," also the elder Holland 
and C. W. Couldock got well known, the former, especially, 
as when he died, the Rev. Mr. Sabine, of a church on Madison 
Avenue, refused to officiate at his funeral because he was an 
actor, but referred the applicant who desired the service, to a 
little church around the corner. This proved to be the Church 
of the Transfiguration (Episcopal), Rev. Dr. Houghton, rec- 
tor. The funeral took place here, and this church has always 
been known from that time as "The Little Church Around 
the Corner." Rev. Mr. Sabine died August, 1913, funeral at 
his residence on Madison Avenue. 

Joseph Jefferson played at this theatre in "The American 
Cousin," taking the character of the American. It brought 
him no fame, as Sothern's character over-shadowed him. John 
T. Raymond also played here, as also Lotta. 

This theatre on being vacated by Laura Keene in 1863, 
who went on the road with her troupe and was playing "The 
American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre in Washington, when 
and where the President, Abraham Lincoln, was shot by 
Wilkes Booth, April 15, 1865, changed proprietorship and 
name. 

It was acquired by John Duff, who called it the Olympic 
Theatre. His son-in-law, Augustin Daly, the playwright, 



BACKWARD GLANCES lot 

acted as his agent, ably assisted by that very efficient gentle- 
man, James W. Morrisey. Mrs. John Wood acted here in 
1866, and in 1868 the humorus pantomine "Humpty Dumpty" 
with George L. Fox as the clown occupied the boards for an 
indefinite period. "Under the Gas Light" with C. F. Parsloe 
in the cast had a long run. "The Railroad Scene" was a 
great feature. "The Sea of Ice" or "A Maiden's Prayer" 
met with quite a success, George Jordan being in the cast, it 
being spectacular and grand. The drama "Richelieu" was 
burlesqued by George L. Fox as the cardinal, and it was at 
this Temple of the Muses that George Jones (The Count 
Johannes) appeared in Shakesperian characters and at every 
performance, he as well as his support male and female, were 
greeted with cat calls, being pelted with onions, apples, turnips 
and even eggs. The attack was really against him, and not his 
associates, many of them being quite proficient in their re- 
spective parts. The theatre was crowded at every perform- 
ance and this was what was desired by the management. The 
shows at last got so riotous that the police had to be in the 
house and this soon brought them to an abrupt ending. 

In 1856 a new theatre was erected at 677 Broadway 
where Tripler Hall had formerly stood. It was called Metro- 
politan Theatre, later Laura Keenes Varieties. It remained 
under her name only a short time, as William Burton re- 
moved there from Chambers Street in 1858 and renamed It 
Burtons Theatre. I saw Burton here in many of his old char- 
acters made famous in Chambers Street, and in a piece called 
"Brigham Young" which was a satire on the sect known as 
Mormons or Latter Day Saints, who founded Salt Lake City, 
Utah. I remember vividly one scene in particular depicted, 
there being some five or six large beds on the stage, and when 
the curtain went up each bed had four or five children in it. 
A pillow fight was in progress, the air being full of them 
when the father of the family, supposed to be Brigham Young, 
who at that period was the head of that community, being 
portrayed by Burton, suddenly appears upon the scene. Bed- 
lam is at once let loose and more than a dozen pillows were 



I02 BACKWARD GLANCES 

shot at him at once by the more venturesome, while the 
others scrampered for their beds to get under the sheets, the 
audience screaming with laughter. On Burton relinquishing 
this theatre, it became the Winter Garden. Charles Mathews, 
an English actor, also appeared here. It was rumored at 
the time that he had a little altercation with Dolly Davenport. 
It took place in the lobby of the theatre, and in which a 
cowhide whip played a prominent part. The former's at- 
tention to the latter's wife was believed to be the cause of the 
trouble. She was a beautiful woman and appeared in the 
Naiad Queen, a spectacular piece. English opera was pre- 
sented here, where for the first time I heard it. This theatre 
was in the rear of the Lafarge House, now the Broadway 
Central Hotel, which was called The Grand Central at one 
time, and was the scene on January 6, 1872, of the shooting 
of James Fisk, Jr., by Edward S. Stokes. He was convicted 
of murder, retried and convicted of manslaughter and served 
about four years in Sing Sing. He was within a few hours 
of being hanged when the stay came for his second trial. 

Burton built a very fine house and hot houses adjoining 
at Glen Cove, Long Island, and his display of grapes at the 
County Fairs were of the finest description. Harry Placide 
resided at Babylon, Long Island. Many of the old Babylonians 
who are now living remember him well and speak of him in 
the highest manner for his many good qualities. 

At the Winter Garden Dion Boucicault played in the 
"Octaroon" with his wife, Agnes Robertson, as Zoe. "The 
Naiad Queen," as also "Midsummer's Night's Dream" was 
produced in grand style. Helen Western, who was a beauti- 
ful woman, appeared in both pieces. Kate Bateman played 
in "Evangeline," as also in "Leah." Among others were 
Charlotte Cushman, supported by Studley, as Lady Macbeth, 
and Charles Mathews, Mark Smith, Mrs. John Wood and 
John Brougham in "Pocahontas." And it was here, in 1864, 
Edwin, John Wilkes and Junius Brutus Booth were seen to- 
gether in "Julius Caesar." The theatre was destroyed by fire 
March 2'^, 1867, and not rebuilt. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 103 

In addition to William R. Blake, Harry Placide and 
Barney Williams, previously mentioned, the following are in- 
terred in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, William J. Flor- 
ence, William E. Burton, who died February 9, i860, Fred 
B. Conway and his wife Sarah Crocker, John Brougham, 
Charles M. Walcott, and in the Wallack burial plot is the 
grave of Lester Wallack and his father James W. Wallack. 
Under an imposing sarcophagus of white marble in the Wal- 
lack plot is the grave of Harry Montague. Laura Keene's 
grave is also in Greenwood. 

The Academy of Music in East Fourteenth Street and 
Irving Place, was opened October 2, 1854. La Grange, 
Brignoli, Adelina Patti, Carlotta Patti, Piccolomini, Lucca, 
Clara Louise Kellogg, Parepa Rosa sang here in the late 
fifties and early sixties, and in the seventies Emma Abbott, 
Campanini, Del Puente, Ravelle, Christine Nilson and Gurster. 
Adelina Patti sang here November 24, 1859, at the age of 
sixteen in Lucia, she being under the management of hei 
brother-in-law. Max Strackosch. It was destroyed by fire, 
May 21-22, 1866, rebuilt and again in 1868 and rebuilt. As 
years rolled by the old theatres down town, such as Barnums 
at Ann Street, Burtons in Chambers Street, and Wallacks on 
Broadway near Broome, were obliterated, some by fire and 
others to make way for business houses. Niblos, Broadway 
above Prince Street, Olympic, Broadway just above Houston 
Street, and the Minstrel Shows of the Bryants, Christys, 
Buckley's Serenaders remained on their old sites for some 
years. Wallacks moved to northeast corner of Broadway and 
Thirteenth Street about 1861, which ground was formerly 
occupied by a circus. His old theatre was then called the 
Broadway. "Caste" was first played here by Billy Florence 
and his wife in August 1867. At the same time many new 
theatres were erected and many new actors and actresses ap- 
peared. Wallack with his old company removed entire to 
his new theatre, his business man and partner being Theo. 
Morse. The young English actor Montague appeared here, 
but only for a short period, as he was taken ill, and died in 



I04 BACKWARD GLANCES 

New York universally lamented. It was in 1871-72 that I 
was introduced to Harry Montague while making a New 
Year's call at the home of N. L. McCready, 10 West Twenty- 
second Street. Barney Williams, the brother-in-law of Flor- 
ence, being the lessee of the Broadway, or its manager, Flor- 
ence took the part in the role of George D'Alroy, his wife 
portraying that of Polly, Mrs. F. S. Chanfrau that of Esther 
Eccles, while that grand old comedian, William Davidge, took 
the character of Eccles, and last but not least Mrs. G. H. 
Gilbert as the marquise. In 1868 Mr. Wallack produced this 
comedy at his Broadway and Thirteenth Street Tb«^atre. 
Charles Fisher had the role of D'Alroy, J. H. Stoddart as 
Eccles, Rose Eytinge as Esther, *Effie Germon appeared as 
Polly and Emily Mestayer as the marquise. It had a good 
run. Osmond Tearle, John Howsen, Rose Coghlan, Ada 
Dyas and Madelene Henriques appeared on the boards 01 
this theatre. The great piece "Rosedale" made a success here 
in 1863 (Oct. 5), Lester Wallack taking the character of 
Elliot Grey, ably supported by Mrs. John Hoey, Mary Gan- 
non, Effie Germon and Mrs. Vernon. John Gilbert took the 
part of the gipsy in this piece. Charles Fisher was also of the 
cast. One of the most interesting scenes in this play was the 
third act depicting the gipsy camp in the woods, which has 
come back to me in the most marked way on many occasions, 
as I saw Lester Wallack disguised as an old broken down 
soldier, associating with these Nomad's and singing to them 
the cracksman's song, so as to carry out his assumed character. 
Night comes on and the whole aggregation are at rest, when 
Elliott Grey sneaks out to find the child Sir Arthur, who had 
disappeared and supposed to have been drowned. Mary Gan- 
non as Rosa Leigh had recited to Elliott Grey and which he 
had committed to memory the ballad. Lord Bateman, which 
she had often sung to the missing boy, and which Elliott Grey 
knew the boy would recognize at once if he heard it, pro- 
vided he was anywhere within the environments of the camp. 



*Effie Germon died March 6, 1914. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 105 

Mary Gannon while reciting the song is seen wrapping her 
handkerchief around a wound on the wrist of Lester Wallack. 
Quite a characteristic part of the scene. Every gipsy was 
asleep when Elliot Grey started to sing the following lines : 

Lord Bateman was a noble lord, 

A noble lord was he of high degree ; 

And he determined to go abroad, 

In hopes some foreign countries he might see. 

But then there was a reason good, 
To think the little boy alive might be ; 
So he went to the wild, wild wood, 
To find and take him to his mother dear. 

As he finished the last word, a poor little ragged, half-starved 
looking child crawls across the stage to him, and recognizing 
him cries out "Elliot" who grabs the child in his arms and 
embracing him says "You little rascal, what will your mother 
say to you?" Mrs. John Hoey taking the character of his 
mother. At this moment Miles McKenna (John Gilbert) the 
chief of the tribe comes on the scene and calls his gipsies, 
who run on with clubs, as Elliot calls out for his lancers, who 
had surrounded the camp, and they capture the whole outfit. 

The Grand Opera House of a latei date was built by 
Samuel Pike of Cincinnati, Ohio, corner of Twenty-third 
Street and Eighth Avenue. It was opened January 9, 1868 
called Pikes Opera House. . In 1869 James Fisk, Jr., acquired 
it through his connection with the Erie Railroad. He named 
it Grand Opera House. It is now owned by the Gould family, 
who inherited it from their father Jay Gould, who was at one 
time a partner of James Fisk, Jr., Fortescue, Roland Reed and 
Sol Smith Russell all appeared in New York at a later period 
at one of the prominent theatres. 

The Fifth Avenue Theatre, which was one of those of a 
later date was in Twenty-fourth Street adjoining the Fifth 
Avenue Hotel. It was opened about 1867 by Christy's Min- 



I06 BACKWARD GLANCES 

strels. / After that Leffingwell ran it with a burlesque com- 
pany, then John Brougham took it in 1869 and called it 
Broughams Theatre, which was not a success. Later it was 
taken by Augustin Daly, with a grand stock company, the 
principal ones being George Clark, William Davidge, John 
Drew, Ada Rehan, James Lewis, Agnes Ethel, Kate Newton, 
Mrs. Gilbert and Fanny Davenport. "Frou Frou" was played 
here, as also "Man and Wife and Divorce." The theatre was 
burned down on January i, 1873, but was rebuilt. Couldock 
made a name here in "Hazel Kirke." "The Rajah" was also 
played here. Steele McKay was the lessee for a long time. 
The stage of this theatre was a double one. It raised and 
lowered so a scene could be set while a performance went on. 
In 1865 there was a theatre on Broadway, No. 728, directly 
opposite Waverly Place, it being erected on the site of a 
Unitarian church. It had a most varied career. It was erected 
by the A. T. Stewart Estate, of which Judge Henry Hilton 
was the executor. If I remember rightly, Lucy Rushton was 
the first lessee. Subsequently the Worrell Sisters came in 
possession and called it the New York Theatre. It was a 
failure. Mark Smith as also Dan Harkins tried as managers 
to make a success here, which also ended in disaster, and 
the theatre seemed to be a hoodoo until Edward Harrigan and 
Toney Hart took it and called it the Theatre Comique. They 
had a great success, which really was their undoing, as at 
the zenith of same they separated and each one went his own 
way, and neither succeeded. Together they were a good 
team, but apart seemed failures. Annie Yeamans appeared at 
this house. I think this was about 1870. After Harrigan 
and Hart left this place, it was called the Streets of Old Lon- 
don and became a home for prize fights and other low uses. 
It was really desecrated until Daly took it in 1873, after the 
burning of his Fifth Avenue Theatre, and called it Daly's 
New Fifth Avenue Theatre. He opened it with "Alixe," 
Oara Morris (Mrs. Harriott) in the title role. "The New 
Magdalene" was also played here, and the sensational drama 
"Under the Gaslight." 



BACKWARD GLANCES 107 

Hope Chapel, which was formerly a church, was situated 
on the east side of Broadway just below Eighth Street. I 
saw the Davenport Brothers here in their wonderful "spirit" 
cabinet trick. Signer Blitz, who resided in Brooklyn, sub- 
sequently occupied this house with his performances, "slight 
of hand" he being one of the best in that line. Kelly and 
Leon, the latter Eugene, the wench dancer, had a minstrel 
troupe here in 1866. Lena Edwards afterwards occupied the 
prernises about 1870 for theatrical purposes. 

iThe Union Square Theatre was erected on Union Square, 
between Broadway and Fourth Avenue early in 1871, directly 
adjoining the Morton House. It was owned and managed 
by Sheridan Shook, subsequently by A. M. Palmer. "The 
Two Orphans" made a great success at this house, where 
this piece was first produced. Kate Claxton, Charles Steven- 
son, O'Neill and Ringold being in the cast, and Ida Vernon as 
the nun. Clara Morris, Agnes Ethel, Stuart Robson, W. H. 
Wilder, Sara Jewett, Meta Newton, Emily Mestayer, Eliza 
Weathersby, Maude Granger and Marie Wilkins all appeared 
here, as also Charles R. Thorne, Lingard, Florence Gerard, 
McKee Rankin, Maud Harrison, John Purcell, W. H. Crane 
and W. S. Wheatleigh, F. F. Mackay, Montgomery, Claude 
Burroughs. At a subsequent date, December 5, 1876, this 
piece "Two Orphans" was being played at the Brooklyn The- 
atre, Kate Claxton and many of the original cast being in 
it. The theatre caught fire and was destroyed, which caused 
a great loss of life, about three hundred people being lost. 
Kate Claxton was among those saved in a heroic and sensa- 
tional way, while poor Ringold was among the lost. Croak- 
ers at the time looked upon it as a retribution, as the the- 
atre was erected on the site of old St. John's Church, corner 
of Johnson and Washington Streets. The land on which the 
church stood had been donated by the late Rev. E. M. John- 
son and the church built, he being its rector for many years, 
being succeeded by Dr. Guion and Dr. Seymour, who eventually 
became Bishop of Illinois. Business came in the neighbor- 
hood and a new church was erected further awav and the 



io8 BACKWARD GLANCES 

old church demohshed, the theatre taking its place under the 
management of Mrs. Fred B. Conway. 

The Park Theatre which was on Broadway east side 
just above Twenty-first Street, was also of a later date. It 
was erected in 1882 and on the day of its opening, October 
30, 1882, at five o'clock in the afternoon, was totally destroyea 
by fire. Henry E. Abbey was the lessee. Lillie Langtry, the 
great English Beauty (Jersey Lily), was to have played here 
at the opening. She was staying at the Fifth Avenue Hotel 
and saw the fire from the window of her room. The stage 
setting was very elaborate. The furniture I think was loaned 
by Herter, one of New York's best manufacturers. It was 
all lost. The piano, which was to have been in the same 
scene with the handsome furnishings, was to have been loaned 
to the theatre by the well-known old piano manufacturers, 
Haines Brothers. The instrument was on the dray, just al)out 
leaving their factory, corner of Second Avenue and Twenty- 
first Street, when the writer of this work saw the fire, and 
advised them of its location. The delay of delivery of the 
piano toward sundown had saved it. Harry Hill offered the 
Jersey Lily his theatre in Houston Street, which was declined 
with thanks. The ofifer was doubtless made in good faith 
by the donor. This theatre was quickly rebuilt, Henry E. 
Abbey still being its manager. I saw Oakey Hall, who was 
Mayor of New York, 1869 to 1871, during the Tweed ring 
exposures (he succeeding John T. Hoffman as Chief Mag- 
istrate of the City) act the principal character in a play 01 
his own production at this theatre after his term of office as 
Mayor had expired. He was indicted by the Grand Jury and 
stood trial for malfeasance in office. He was honorably ac- 
quitted, the verdict being a popular one. The drama in which 
he appeared was written and acted by him, so as really to 
portray his own case, to show that an innocent party could 
very readily be placed in a position where his acts on the 
surface appeared to the eye as that of guilt, at the same 
time being perfectly and absolutely innocent of any wrong- 
doing. The stepping stone to the office of Mayor for him had 



BACKWARD GLANCES 109 

been that of District Attorney, which position he had filled 
with great ability and approval of the citizens of New York. 
His unfortunate occupancy of the Mayorality at this season 
of crookedness in official positions of so many men connected 
with the city government of New York, cast a dark cloud 
upon the bright future of this man, which was little anticipated 
by him or his many friends, causing his latter days to be 
ended in obscurity. John T. Hoffman who had been Recorder 
of the city, and then Mayor, had been elected as Governor 
of the State of New York, 1869-72. 

Booth's Theatre was on Twenty-third Street corner of 
Sixth Avenue. I saw Barrett, Bangs, Milnes Levick and E, 
L. Davenport at this house in Julius Caesar in 1876. Laurence 
Barrett was Caius Cassius, F. C. Bangs was Marcus Antonius, 
E. L. Davenport was Marcus Junius Brutus, Milnes Levick as 
Casius Julius Caesar. E. K. Collier was Octavius Caesar, 
Mary Wells was Portia, wife to Brutus, Rose Rand as Cai- 
phurina, wife of Caesar. John McCollough also appeared 
here. 

I can confidently say that I saw nearly every one of the 
actors and actresses, as well as opera singers, that I have 
mentioned in the foregoing. I also heard Thalberg, Pianist, 
play in a hall on Broadway just above the Metropolitan Hotel. 
I think it was called Chickering Hall. Around on Mercer 
Street, near Houston, in the vicinity of Firemen's Hall, was 
the stable of Horace Jones, and where Brokaw's clothing store 
now is, Lafayette Place and Eighth Street, was the stable of 
Underbill and Fleet, both of whom came from Oyster Bay, 
Long Lsland, and were great horsemen. Commodore Vander- 
bilt's home was on the corner of Mercer Street and Washing- 
ton Place, his stable adjoining, the New York Hotel, built 
in 1847, being directly opposite, which occupied the whole 
block front on Broadway, Washington Place and Waverley 
Place. It was a great home during the war for Southern 
sympathizers; Langley Bruce, one of the great wits of the day, 
made his home at this hotel, which was kept by Hiram Crans- 
ton. 



no BACKWARD GLANCES 

St. Bartholomew's Qiurch was on the corner of Fourth 
Street and Lafayette Place. Just above it was the Astor 
Library, while the Mercantile Library was in Clinton Hall, 
location of the Astor Place riots in 1849 against McCready, 
the English actor, by the friends of Ed Forrest, the American 
actor, in Astor Place, corner of Eighth Street, opposite the 
old Parrish Mansion on the corner of Lafayette. The old 
specialist. Doctor John Grey, resided next door to the Parrish 
home; corner of Broadway and Fourth Street was the home 
of Phillip Hone, Hope Chapel being just above on Broadway, 
on which was the great promenade, from Chambers to For- 
teenth Street and later to Twenty-third Street. This was the 
boundary for many years. Hoopskirts were worn by the 
women, and if two came abreast, a large part of the side- 
walk was taken up ; and when a stage stopped to take in a lady, 
passersby would at once come to a halt to see how she man- 
aged to get through the stage door. Some of them would 
tip the skirt to one side, while others would compress it on 
both sides. It was a difficult undertaking, with all the Peeping 
Toms around, and when they got in only three could sit on 
each side, where six men could sit. Broadway from Bowling 
Green to Fourteenth Street was paved with a smooth block of 
stone called the Reuss pavement, dangerous for man or beast. 
It was channelled, but eventually removed, the Belgian Block 
taking its place. The long black charcoal wagons which you 
would see all over the city were quite a distinctive feature, as 
also the crying out of the chimney sweeps. '1 

[ The Brevoort House was on the corner of Fifth Avenuc 
and Eighth Street, where it is at present, largely patronized 
by Englishmen, especially captains of the English steamers. 
Dickel's Riding Academy was on Fifth Avenue near Thirty- 
seventh Street. The first elevated road was a crude affair built 
on stilts over the sidewalk on both sides of Greenwich Street 
from the Battery to Houston Street. The propelling power 
was an endless cable running over a wheel or drum at each 
end. It was not a success until Cyrus W. Field acquired it 
from its projectors and put on small locomotives. It was then 



BACKWARD GLANCES lu 

extended to Thirtieth Street, New York Central and Hudson 
River Railroad Depot, Ninth and Tenth Avenues. 

The style of walking by some women in 1868-69 was 
reaHy vile. It was called the Grecian Bend. It was seen at 
this time in all its glory or absurdity. Described, viz. high 
heeled shoes, head thrown back, bust protruded, bustle ditto. 
In this position they looked like the letter S. They assumed 
a sickening mincing gait and attracted every passerby. It 
did not last long. Horace Lingard sang a song at the Comique 
Theatre called the Grecian Bend. 

Prominent merchants and bankers you could meet most 
any morning on their way down town. A large man with a 
red moustache and side whiskers would be seen every day 
walking down on the west side of Broadway, which was 
called the two shilling side, on his way to his office, which 
was on the north side of Prince, just west of Broadway, being 
a one-story building. This was John Jacob Astor, who re- 
sided northwest corner of Fifth Avenue and Thirty-third 
Street. The little old gentleman passing in a one-horse coupe, 
the horse attached being a handsome brown mottled, and the 
occupant of the vehicle distinguished by his spectacles with 
side as well as front glasses, he carrying under his arm an 
inflated rubber ring cushion, was the greatly revered citizen 
and philanthropist, Peter Cooper. You would often meet 
Samuel J. Tilden on horseback riding up Fifth Avenue to 
the park. Frank Copcutt, who was a batchelor and was of an 
old New York family of rosewood and mahogany importers 
you would likely meet almost daily either on Fifth Avenue or 
Broadway. He was a thorough exquisite in appearance, being 
immaculate in his dress, carrying a gold headed riding whip, 
with moustache and side whiskers dyed a jet black, and spec- 
tacles on, he would be mounted on a grand long-tailed black 
horse. Being a most accomplished equestrian, attention was 
attracted to him at once, which he seemed to rather enjoy.] 



CHAPTER ELEVEN 

"^R^ JJf^ ANY queer characters were met on this long 

.^ j^k /M thoroughfare. The long lanky built man, ap- 

j ^^ I proaching, taking his morning walk, getting a 

JL ▼ JL little round shouldered, is the celebrated old 
pugilist, Tom Hyer, who fought Yankee Sullivan and proved 
the victory Hyer was quite a horseman, and in his late years 
owned the old gray mare, Lady Blanch, the first foal that 
Abdallah got. She was raised by John Tredwell, of West 
Hills, Long Island, and accompanied the slate-colored Ameri- 
can (Boston Blue) over to England. She died in 1855 at 
Sim Hoagland's, East New York, he being her last owner. 

(The pompous and fat individual close behind Hyer, also 
taking his morning walk, is old Brown, the well-known sex- 
ton of Grace Church at Tenth Street and Broadway. He was 
an undertaker by day, a caterer and major domo who sup- 
plied the supper and summoned the carriages at private parties 
or weddings at night, and the grand usher, in his swallowtail 
coat, of the church on Sunday. He was a most proficient man 
at each one of these callings. Old Doctor Townsend, who was 
formerly from Albany, with his long white beard and hair, 
dressed in immaculate white, with a white hat, carrying an 
umbrella of the same color, attracted much attention ; as also 
another doctor, a large, tall man with long gray hair and 
beard, dressed in black clothes, generally velvet, with ruffled 
shirt front with cuffs, knee breeches, low shoes and silver 
buckles on same. His coat was generally very long. He wore 
spectacles and a cocked hat on his head. It was surmised that 
he dressed this way for notoriety, being a quack. The Blue 
Man was also met on many occasions, his complexion being a 
queer freak of nature. The lime kiln man was also quite a 
curiosity. He was always covered with lime, being a tall and 
uncouth figure and usually dressed same as a laborer, being 
bespattered with lime. His long hair was matted with the 

112 



BACKWARD GLANCES 113 

same material, as also his face. Though he looked as if he 
was in great poverty, this singular mortal was not a profes- 
sional beggar as he never asked for alms on the street or 
anywhere else and he never noticed anyone who looked upon 
him with pity, but stalked right along entirely unconscious of 
all surroundings. ) No one knew from whence he came. He 
was found dead some years afterward in a lime kiln on the 
Hudson River, where he generally slept. The little sawed 
off Irish dwarf, Little Mac, was often visible on the street. 
His first appearance as a freak was at Bryants Minstrels. His 
last to date was carrying a sign board advertising a restaurant, 
as I saw him in 191 3 on Prospect Avenue in the Bronx. 
Quite a unique character was the Straw Man. He had a 
farm wagon with shelvings on it loaded with straw and a 
poor looking white horse attached, and would slowly meander 
down on the east side as far as Park Row, calling out "Stroh, 
Stroh," but I never saw him sell a sheaf, still he kept it up for 
years. It was at that time used for mattresses. Another 
character was Marcus Cicero Stanley. He had red hair and 
beard and was a man quite well known around town. Josh Bill- 
ings with long black hair, and Jeems Pipes with his mop head 
of liair were often met, as well as Mark Twain. 

(The large brown stone mansion on Broadway, east side 
just south of Thirteenth Street, was the residence of Judge 
Roosevelt, and the brick house on the west corner of Four- 
teenth Street was also the home of the Roosevelt family. 
Fourteenth Street, both east and west, was occupied by private 
residences, except the old Penniman brown stone house be- 
tween Broadway and University Place. This became the 
celebrated Maison Doree, an elegantly fitted up restaurant and 
ice cream saloon with gilt entrance, Willim M. Evarts' house 
being on the northwest corner of Second Avenue, while Moses 
H. Grinnell lived on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue, 
Daniel Drew lived on the southwest corner of Seventeenth 
Street and Broadway, Robert Goelet being his neighbor in the 
brick house on the northwest corner. On the corner of Fif- 
teenth Street and Union Square Dr. Cheever's church stood. 



114 BACKWARD GLANCES 

The old Tiffany store is now on the site. Next door to Dr. 
Cheever's church on the west side of Union Square was lo- 
cated the Spingler Institute. It was subsequently changed 
into a hotel and called the Spingler House, being run by Coe 
of the Revere House. Union Square Park had an iron fence 
around it with large gates at each end and on the sides. Tne 
equestrian Washington monument was erected on the Four- 
teenth Street side about 1855 to 1856. The Stuyvesant pear 
tree, which was quite historic of early New York, was on 
the northeast corner of Third Avenue and Thirteenth Street, 
It had an iron fence around it. The new Parrish residence 
was on the east corner of Seventeenth Street and Broadway, 
while further east on the same block was the grand brown 
stone mansion of Doctor Moffatt used as Fenian headquarters, 
the Everett House being adjoining, which was finished m 
1855-56. Mrs. Haight's grand house was on the corner of 
Fifteenth Street and Fifth Avenue, later occupied by Marshall 
O. Roberts. Gordon S. Burnham, who gave the Webster 
statue to the city, being in Central Park, resided on the south- 
west corner of Eighteenth Street and Fifth Avenue, while on 
the northeast corner resided August Belmont, formerly United 
States Minister to The Hague. His picture gallery was in 
the rear, directly over the entrance to his stables. Robert 1-. 
Stuart was on the northwest corner of Twentieth Street ; 
Francis B. Cutting, corner of Twenty-first Street and Fifth 
Avenue, east side ; The Union Club on the west side of Fifth 
Avenue, northwest corner of Twenty-first Street ; Peter Got;- 
let had the whole block front on Broadway, Nineteenth to 
Twentieth Street ; his large brick house stood in the center, 
his barns being in the rear, where he kept fancy poultry, cat- 
tle and horses; James Lenox lived on the corner of Fifth 
Avenue and Twelfth Street. The St. Germain Hotel was on 
Twenty-second Street, Broadway and Fifth Avenue. It was 
erected about 1856-57. The Flatiron Building now covers the 
site. All of the streets crossing Broadway from Fourteenth 
Street to Fourth and Sixth Avenues up to this point were 
lined with rows of four-story brown stone houses. Mr. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 115 

George Irving, an old New Yorker, lately residing at the Fifth 
Avenue Hotel, resided in East Twenty-second Street. I saw 
his uncle, Washington Irving, the great historian, at this place 
in 1857, who died November 28, 1859, and was buried in 
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery at Tarrytown, New York. He was 
born at 131 William Street and resided for many years corner 
of Ann Street and William. Madison Square is now reached, 
with its beautiful foliage. There was a fence around this 
park for many years. Some grand houses were on Fifth 
Avenue from Twenty-third to Thirty-fourth Street, on the 
northwest corner of which Dr. Townsend, of sarsaparilla fame, 
had erected the finest house in New York. It was really the 
show place of the city. The house cost about $250,000. It 
was demolished to make room for the new Stewart marble 
palace, which in its turn was obliterated. The Knickerbocker 
Trust Company edifice now covers the site. Hardly any resi- 
dences were above this point, as the Rutgers' School was at 
Forty-first Street and Fifth Avenue. I took a long walk up 
there on a Sunday afternoon in 1858 to see the corner stone 
of the Roman Catholic Cathedral laid by Archbishop Hughes. 
The lower part of this grand edifice is constructed of marble 
procured at Pleasantville, Westchester County. It was called 
snow flake quarry marble. The Colored Orphan Asylum was 
on Madison Avenue, about Forty-fourth Street. It was burned 
down by the rioters in the draft riots of 1863. 

The author of this article saw the fire at 1190 Broadway, 
near Twenty-ninth Street, where the first drawing was taking 
place to get soldiers for the army, July 11, 1863. This build- 
ing was also destroyed by the rioters, as also the factory, 
corner of Twenty-first Street and Second Avenue, Haines 
Brothers piano factory. It was then being used for the mak- 
ing of guns by George Opdyke, who was mayor of the city. 
He lived on Fifth Avenue near Nineteenth Street. The 
author's name was in the wheel three times, but was never 
drawn. The Benjamin Nathan residence was a four-story 
brown stone house on the south side of West Twenty-third 
Street near Fifth Avenue. Mr. Nathan was found murdered 



ii6 BACKWARD GLANCES 

here. This was July 29, 1870. The Rutgers College was a 
long brick building painted yellow and took up the whole 
block front on the east side of Fifth Avenue between Forty- 
first and Forty-second Streets. William Butler Duncan's 
residence is corner of Eighth Street and Fifth Avenue, No. 
I, west side. Alfred B. Darling's was near Twenty-fifth 
Street, Mrs. Paran Stevens near Twenty-seventh Street, the 
Hendricks family at Twenty-eighth, Francis Skiddy corner 
of Thirtieth, Peter Moller, the great sugar refiner, at Thirty- 
second, northeast corner, Mr. Schenck, 323 Fifth Avenue, W. 
B. Astor corner of Thirty-fourth Street and John Jacob Astor 
corner of Thirty-third Street, both west side. The Waldorf 
Astoria Hotel now covers the site of both of these residences. 
John H. Harbeck resided near Twenty-seventh Street on 
Fifth Avenue and Frank Work on Twenty-sixth Street op- 
posite Madison Square Park. 



CHAPTER TWELVE 

FLEETWOOD Park came into existence at a later 
date. It was just across the Harlem River (Mac- 
Combs Dam Bridge) at Morrissania, being laid out 
on the old Morris Manor place, at about 164th Street, 
opening in the early part of 1870 and the closing race was on 
October 23, 1897. I believe that I saw the opening and the 
closing of this favorite old track, it being close to the city it 
could readily be reached, so that the attendance was generally 
good. I can well remember light road wagons and carriages 
on their way there getting choked up at the entrance to the 
bridge, which was under the care of that much respected old 
police officer, Charley Isaacs, who would always untangle the 
jam and get everyone over safely without a smashup. He 
was well known and had the respect of all the road drivers, 
and at Christmas time was remembered in a very substantial 
way by them all. Some of the greatest trots that ever took 
place came off on this track under the bluff. I will only men- 
tion a few of the principal ones. John R. Gentry against Star 
Pointer, the former winning by a close margin. The great 
three-minute class in which Phallas, who belonged to J. I. 
Case of Racine, Wisconsin, was entered, he being looked upon 
as a sure winner by his western adherents, but a little bay 
horse who had been bought at an auction sale was also entered. 
He belonged to Nathan Strauss and was driven by John Mur- 
phy. His name was Majolica. The latter winning the race. 
Time was about 2:17. Another prominent race which took 
place there was a fast class one, in which Phil Thompson 
Lucy Gernent, Jay Eye See and others competed. Phil 
Thompson was driven by John Murphy, and Gernent by 
Charlie Green. The former choked at the quarter pole, 
swerved and fell down, the mare going right over him, re- 
sulting in a bad mix-up. Roth drivers were quite badly hurt 
and it was a long time before they could drive again. Jay 

117 



ii8 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Eye See was also in this race, which he won with ease. Ed- 
ward and Dick Swivler owned by Frank Work trotted a mile 
on this track in 2:16^, which time knocked everything on 
record up to that date. William H. Vanderbilt drove Maud S. 
and Aldine a mile in public here in 2:15^, which was in 
1883. I saw Mr. Vanderbilt drive Aldine and Early Rose 
about that time one afternoon about four o'clock. While 
driving the reverse way of the track on the first turn he was 
run into by a trainer driving a single horse to a skeleton 
wagon. Mr. Vanderbilt was thrown out and knocked sense- 
less, but being covered with sealskin robes, escaped any con- 
tusion. He was picked up by a very popular and afifable man 
of that day, Mr. John Quinn, who had a stable in 125th 
Street near Madison Avenue. On being taken to the Club 
house, he quickly recovered and was taken to his home cor- 
ner of Thirty-ninth Street and Fifth Avenue in a carriage. 
I think this accident made him a shade timid, as I rarely saw 
him driving after this event. The horses were not hurt, being 
quickly caught by the stableman on the track. Many noted 
fast ones turned the old Fleetwood Track, such as St. Julian, 
Rarus, Edwin Forest, Santa Claus, Joe Patchen, Clingstone, 
Henry, Great Eastern, Geora, The Black Wonder Guy from 
Cleveland, who was a whirlwind, Jay Eye See, Steve Max- 
well, Maud S., Sunol, and Startle. Rarus trotted a race here 
under saddle against Great Eastern in 1877. Eastern won in 

2:i5M- 

I must not forget to refer to the sleighing carnivals which 

were enjoyed by New York and Brooklyn horsemen. As a 
general thing, most all the best horses were in the winter sea- 
son sent out on Long Island to be kept by the farmers, both 
in Kings, Queens, and Suffolk Counties. Carl Burr's place 
at Comae was in the latter county, but a good reserve was 
generally kept for sleighing purposes, the old Bloomingdale 
Road being the principal snowpath on Manhattan Island, the 
road houses being Burnham's, The Abbey and Jones' Clare- 
mont. Harlem Lane came in a little later, the Atlantic Hotel 
being on the corner of 125th Street, Bertholf's at 146th Street, 



BACKWARD GLANCES 119 

Freeman's at the bridge, with Florence's directly opposite. 
John Barry kept the latter hostelry for many years at a later 
period, and across the bridge you got on Central Avenue, 
which became a great speeding ground. The sheds at Gabe 
Case's, Judge Smith's and Sibbons, on a good snow fall were 
always full, with the people standing on the piazzas seeing the 
trotters race by. Many of the downtown horsemen would 
cross the ferry and join the Brooklyn contingent, up Fulton 
Avenue, through the toll gate at Bedford, then to East New 
York, leading past Whelan's to John I. Snedicor's Hotel. 
This celebrated place was noted for its suppers and balls dur- 
ing the winter season. There was always a crowd and mucli 
difficulty was experienced in having your horses cared for ii 
you arrived late. It was really the mecca for the sleighride 
parties and during the sleighing season, which sometimes 
lasted several months, a dance was given every night in the 
large ball room on the second floor of the house. The music 
and suppers were of the best obtainable and Heidsieck flowed 
like water all night. Those desiring a more extended ride 
would go on to Jamaica stopping at the well-known road 
house of Jim Remsen and that of Cale Weeks. It was open 
house all night at all of these places and along toward day 
break the revellers would race home to Brooklyn or to Fulton 
Ferry by those who had come from New York to the accom- 
panying sweet cadence of the crisping snow and the numerous 
strings of bells on the horses. Many a New Yorker was 
observed straggling over the ferry by day light and very often 
on the bare ground, having been caught in a thaw. You 
would see many four-horse teams attached to large family 
sleighs covered with strings of bells around their necks and 
over their backs, and many of these teams were speedy. 
Extreme cold weather sometimes prevailed, which necessitated 
the merry makers being well covered with Buffalo skins, these 
being in general use and could be bought very cheaply. 

During the last winter of the existence of these carnivals 
the cold was so intense that a party from Love Lane, Brooklyn, 
arrived home at the stable only to find the driver on the box 



120 BACKWARD GLANCES 

seat frozen to death and holding the reins in his hands, he 
being the son of the proprietor of the stable who owned the 
sleigh and horses. The party was entirely oblivious that they 
were taken to their destination safely by instinct of the good 
horse with Death as their driver. 



CHAPTER THIRTEEN 

THE City of New York during the draft riots faced 
the worst situation probably that it ever encountered. 
The government started the draft, which was the 
first experience of this kind that the people of New 
York had ever faced before, at a most inopportune time. Re- 
cruiting had diminished and the only way to fill the ranks of 
our army, which was being decimated, was to resort to this 
extreme. The State Militia were out of the city on a three 
months' enlistment. The rough element took advantage of 
this and used the drafting as an excuse for all kinds of lawless- 
ness. Men were hung to lamp posts, robbery in every shape 
occurred, houses were broken in right in the day time with 
their occupants at home, and goods stolen without anyone to 
stop them. The police were perfectly powerless. I stood on 
the corner of Wall and South Streets and saw a lot of hood- 
lums march past grabbing people right on the sidewalk to 
join them. No negro dared to show himself, so all that could 
do so, got out of the city to Weeksville, which is in the lower 
part of Brooklyn. No street cars were running for three days. 
The writer being at Twenty-third Street on the second day of 
the riot there was no way for him to get to the ferry so as to 
cross to Brooklyn, so he got across the upper ferry to Green- 
point and reached his destination by that route. A floating 
elevator was burned in the Atlantic Dock, and as a volunteer 
fireman, the author was there with his company. It being 
about II :i5 at night, he carried a pistol for the first and only 
time in his life for protection. 

At last the government brought a detachment of regulars 
here. They landed foot of Eighteenth Street East River and 
came up to Second Avenue, where they met the rioters between 
Twentieth and Twenty-first Streets directly opposite the Haines 
Brothers Piano Factory, and immediately gave them a volley. 
This rather dampened their ardor and stopped the riot in that 

121 



122 BACKWARD GLANCES 

part of the city until the police department could get in shape 
again from their utter demoralization, (July 13-16, 1863). 

On every twelfth of July there always occurred for many 
years trouble between the Orangemen and those opposed to 
them, who did not care to see the battle of the Boyne com- 
memorated, which took place in Ireland over two hundred 
years ago. Fighting in the streets and parks was in vogue in 
many parts of the city and the State Militia was often called 
upon to subdue same as the police did not appear to be able to 
meet the situation. The last riot was in 1871 and 1872. 

I would mention here a little history relative to the New 
York City Hall referred to in previous chapters. When the 
City Hall was erected in 181 1 it was considered a long way 
up town, really in the country, and to cut down the expense 
of building it all of marble it was thought that the rear of 
same would rarely be seen, therefore a cheaper material 
should be used there in place of the marble which is on the 
front and two ends. Brown stone from Bellville, New Jersey, 
was used to fill the bill and to make it correspond in color with 
the balance of the edifice, which had remained as originally 
designed for one hundred vears, the rear was painted white 
a few years ago (1890). (^Besides Battery Park at the south 
and Central Park at the north end, the only real breathing 
spots for New Yorkers were the Bowling Green, foot of 
Broadway, City Hall Park, Broadway, Chambers Street and 
Park Row, St. Johns Park, Hudson and Varick Streets, Wash- 
ington Park, Waverly Place and Fourth Street, Union Square, 
Fourth Avenue, Broadway and Seventeenth Street, Gramercy 
Park, Irving Place, Twentieth and Twenty-first Streets, Stuy- 
vesant Park, Second Avenue, Fifteenth to Seventeenth Streets, 
Madison Square Park, Broadway, Madison Avenue and Twen- 
ty-sixth Street, Reservoir Park, Fifth Avenue, Forty-second 
Street and Sixth Avenue, Hamilton Park, Third Avenue and 
Sixty-sixth Street, Tompkins Park, Eighth, Tenth and Ave- 
nue A, Jones Woods, foot of Seventy-second Street and East 
River, all located on Manhattan Island. 

In the fifties New Yorkers, if any way possible, would 



BACKWARD GLANCES 123 

get out of town for two weeks' vacation in the summer time, 
by those in moderate circumstances, while the wealthy would 
stay away the months of July and August. It was only the 
extreme rich who could afford a country place in the summer 
and a four-story brown stone house in the city for their winter 
home. The latter had elegant places on the east bank of the 
Hudson River as far up as Garrisons, also grand places at 
Newport. Many were on Long Island, Staten Island, and on 
the East River from Astoria to Throggs Neck, and on the 
Sound at New Rochelle, where the Iselin family and Lelands 
had grand mansions. The Wooliey's, Buckley's and Soutter's 
resided at Astoria, while the Dickey's Watson's Spofiford's, 
Vyse's, and Adees lived at Hunts Point and the Havemeyer's, 
Barreto's, Caswell's, Lorillard, Huntington, and Zerega's were 
on the same shore further east. The watering place hotels 
nearest New York were the Neptune House at New Rochelle, 
Pavilion at Glen Cove, Pavilion at Far Rockaway, Long 
Island, Pavilion at New Brighton, Staten Island, Bath Beach 
Hotel at Bath Beach, Long Island, Dominy's and Surf Hotel 
at Fire Island, Argyle and American at Babylon, Stellen- 
werths and the Pavilion at Islip. The LaTorreate House was 
at Bergen Point, New Jersey. The Rutherford Park Hotel 
was on the Passaic River near Passaic, while small boarding 
houses abounded in all these localities. The Fashionable places 
for the well-to-do were Cozzens, and Roes, Hotel at West 
Point, Watchhill on the Sound, Sharon, Cooperstown, Lake 
George, Lenox, Saratoga and Ballston, New York, while Long 
Branch, Cape May and Old Point Comfort were the principal 
seashore places. Long Branch being the closest to New York. 
The principal hotels there were the United States, Howlands, 
Mansion House, and Conovers. The easiest way to get there 
was by boat to Sandy Hook. The boats were the "Alice 
Price," "Long Branch" and "Highland Light." At the point 
of the hook, you would take stages with wide tired wheels, 
taking a ride four miles along the shore. At Atlantic High- 
lands near the lighthouse there were several summer hotels. 



124 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Lake Mahopac was also quite a summer resbrt, the hotels be- 
ing Thompsons, Deans, and the Pavilion. / 

At other parts of this work I have mentioned some of the 
daily papers of the late fifties, but will here give them in de- 
tail as I remember them. The Journal of Commerce was on 
the corner of Beaver and Hanover Streets, and was edited by 
a Mr. Stone, who resided in Brooklyn. The Courier and 
Enquirer office was in Pearl Street between Wall and Pine, 
opposite the great printing house of George F. Nesbitt and 
Company. The editor of this paper was James Watson Webb. 
In politics it was Republican, while the Journal of Commerce 
was Democratic. In the late fifties or early sixties, the Courier 
and Enquirer merged with the New York World, the editor 
of same being Manton Marble. The New York Morning ana 
Evening Express was in Nassau Street corner of Wall and 
was edited by James and Erastus Brooks. The politics of this 
paper tendered rather toward the Native Americans or Know 
Nothings, later it became a Democratic paper. 

The Evening Post edited by William Cullen Bryant was 
corner of Nassau and Liberty Streets. It was Republican in 
politics. The Commercial Advertiser was on Fulton Street, 
southwest corner of Nassau, the New York Herald being 
directly opposite on Nassau Street, edited by James Gordon 
Bennett. The Commercial was Republican in politics. The 
Herald was independent and in April 1861 when everyone was 
supposed to show their colors, a mob of men surrounded the 
Herald as well as the Journal of Commerce office and forced 
them to put out the American flag. The New York Sun was 
corner of Frankfort and Nassau Streets, edited by Charles 
A. Dana, Republican in politics. The New York Tribune was 
on Nassau corner of Spruce, Horace Greeley being its editor. 
This paper was also Republican, really abolition in its senti- 
ments, and before the war it was so strong in its articles in 
favor of abolition, that many people in New York City not 
coinciding in its views would hardly sit on the same side of a 
car with a man who they saw perusing the New York Tribune, 
and it was only a few years after this when Horace Greeley 



BACKWARD GLANCES 125 

became candidate of the Democratic party for President of 
the United States, which was in 1872, that those who reviled 
him years before walked up to the polls and voted for him. 
During the presidential canvass he was caricatured in the 
most cruel way by a noted cartoonist of the times in a weekly 
periodical, and within about forty-eight hours after the elec- 
tion in which he was most disastrously beaten I saw him 
standing on Forty-second Street with his light colored coat on 
looking in the gutter, just in front of the Grand Central Depot, 
not a soul with him, and my heart went out to the good old 
man. He died within three weeks of this time broken in 
mind and body. The illustrated weekly papers were Harper's 
Weekly, Frank Leslie's and Police Gazette. The New York 
Ledger, a story paper, came into existence in the early fifties, 
being edited by Robert Bonner. The Sunday papers were the 
New York Mercury, Sunday Times, Sunday Courier. The 
New York Daily Times was not as prominent as it is to-day. 
It was later edited by George Jones and Henry J. Raymond, 
who laid the foundation of its present greatness. The Brook- 
lyn Eagle and the Brooklyn Union and Times were the only 
papers across the river of any account. The former was edited 
by Mr. Isaac Van Anden, being Democratic in politics. The 
two latter were Republican. The German paper was the 
Staats Zeitung and the French Des Etats Unis. 

New York has been noted for having many very short 
streets, which are really not known to many people who have 
resided here all their life time. The shortest one of all is 
directly opposite the police station house in Oak Street, just 
off New Pearl Street, running from the latter street to Oak 
Street. It is about thirty feet in length and is called Chestnui 
Street. Edgar Street is the next shortest, from Trinity Place 
to Greenwich Street above Morris. Weehawken Street runs 
for one block from Christopher to West Tenth Street, being 
the first street from West Street. Jones Street runs from 
West Fourth Street to Bleecker Street, named for Dr. Gard- 
ner Jones. There are two Jones Alleys of one block in length, 
one of them runs from Bond Street to Great Jones Street, 



126 BACKWARD GLANCES 

directly east of Broadway, the latter was named by Judge 
Samuel Jones, the other from Front Street to South Street, 
between Old Slip and Wall Street. The latter is called Jones 
Lane. Extra Place is in First Street, just east of Bowery. 

Judge Samuel Jones was the great great grandfather of 
the writer. He and Doctor Gardner Jones married sisters, 
daughters of Elbert Haring, a large land owner in Greenwich 
Village. The upper part of Bleecker Street was called Her- 
ring Street (Haring) for many years after the family of this 
name. Cornelia Street, Fourth to Bleecker, got its name from 
Cornelia Haring, wife of Samuel Jones. 

Among others was Hancock Street, Bleecker near Mc- 
Dougall; Marietta Street, Bleecker Street opposite Downing; 
Courtlandt Alley, Leonard Street to Canal; Jersey Street, 
Crosby to Mulberry Street; Catharine Lane, Broadway to 
Laffayette Street; Theatre Alley, Ann Street to Beekman; 
Hamilton Street, from Catharine to Market ; City Hall Street, 
between Pearl and Duane; Mechanic Street, between Cherry 
and Monroe; Birmingham Street, between Madison and 
Henry ; Congress Street, from King to West Houston ; Caro- 
line Street, Duane to Jay, just east of West Street; Mission 
Place, Worth to Park Street; Patchin Place, Tenth Street 
between Sixth Avenue and Greenwich Avenue ; Milligan Place, 
on Sixth Avenue between Tenth and Eleventh Streets. Ben- 
son Street is east of Broadway at Worth Street. East Street 
runs from Grand to Houston, along the East River. Tinpot 
Alley runs from Broadway to Church Street, directly op- 
posite to Exchange Place. Temple Street is west of Broad- 
way just above Trinity Church, running from Thames to 
Cedar Street. Albany Street runs from Greenwich to West, 
between Carlisle and Cedar. Coenties Alley runs from Pearl 
to Stone, opposite Coenties Slip. Dover Street runs from 
Bowery to Pell Street. It is in the Chinese quarter. Gay 
Street runs from Waverly Place to Christopher Street. Shin- 
bone Alley runs from Bleecker to Bond Street, just east of 
Broadway ; Pell Street, between Mott Street and Bowery ; 
Liberty Place, Maiden Lane to Liberty Street ; York Street, 



BACKWARD GLANCES 127 

West Broadway below Canal to St. Johns Lane rear of St. 
Johns Church; Staple Street, Duane to Harrison, west of 
Hudson Street; Hall Street, rear of Tompkins Market at 
Seventh Street ; Dutch Street, between Fulton and John ; 
Jacob Street, between Frankfort and Ferry Streets, Carlisle 
Street, Greenwich to West, next to Rector Street. 

The large markets were quite a feature of old times. 
Housewives would visit them and take home enough to last 
for a week. Among them was Franklin Market in Old Slip, 
Fulton Market at the foot of Fulton Street, East River, Cath- 
arine Market at the foot of Catharine Street, East River, 
Essex Market, Grand Street, near Ludlow Street, Center 
Market, on Broome corner of Center, Washington Market, 
foot of Vesey Street, North River, Clinton Market, corner of 
Spring and West Streets, Jeflferson Market, Sixth Avenue and -. 
Eighth Street, Tompkins, Third Avenue and Seventh Street. /' 



CHAPTER FOURTEEN 

RELATIVE to graveyards, most all of them have 
been obliterated, except those in churchyards, like 
Trinity, St. Paul's, St. John's, St. Mark's and the 
Roman Catholic Cathedral in Prince Street. There 
was one corner of Carmine and Hudson, which is now a park. 
Another was on East Houston Street near the Bowery next to 
Fisher and Bird's marble yard. St. Augustine's Church is now 
on the site. Another was the corner of Houston and Forsyth, 
tenement houses are now on that site. Still another was on the 
north side of First Street, east of Second Avenue. The 
graves were all removed and tenements built up on the site. 
There were also a few graves on Second Avenue, east side 
between First and Second Streets, in the rear of some tene- 
ments, which have never been removed. The gravestones were 
knocked down and some vestige of them still remains to this 
day. A little Jewish graveyard still exists on New Bowery 
just off Chatham Square, south side in rear of some tene- 
ments. It can be seen from the elevated road. The New 
York City Marble Cemetery in Second Street, between First 
and Second Avenues still exists and interments are sometimes 
made there in old family vaults. A marble monument now 
stands therein to the memory of Preserved Fish of an old New 
York family. The same company, New York Marble Ceme- 
tery, owns another one situated in center of block between Sec- 
ond and Third Street, the entrance being on the west side of 
Second Avenue, solid wooden gates obscuring any view of 
the interior. There is a little graveyard on Twenty-first Street, 
west side in rear of a large dry goods house on Sixth Avenue, 
also one corner of Sixth Avenue and Eleventh Street, west side. 
:' The disposition of ashes and garbage was quite a problem, 
until the present disposal of same was instituted. The garbage 
was taken by parties who resided on the vacant lots or rocks 
above Fifty-ninth Street on the west and Forty-second Street 

128 



BACKWARD GLANCES 129 

on the east side and from there to Harlem. Many of them kept 
hogs which roamed on the streets most everywhere. The 
ashes being used to fill in sunken lots, the householders paid 
to remove same daily. .Another unique combination was con- 
nected with this same industry, which you would come across 
in every part of the city, even on Second and Fifth Avenues. 
This was a cart of a rather ramshackle condition with a 
decrepid old woman walking inside of the square bars in front 
with a strap over her shoulders and two dogs hitched with 
traces to the axle, one on each side. The traces were old pieces 
of rope generally. The woman was slovenly dressed, bare- 
footed in summer, a really repulsive outfit. This aggregation 
would pull up to the curb, the dogs would sit down on their 
haunches to rest, while the woman with a hook would delve to 
the bottom of all the cans on the sidewalk and throw what she 
wanted in the cart. When loaded, they would start for home 
in some squalid quarters on the rocks or vacant lots. These 
people were termed squatters. Woe be to any person that 
came near the cart in the owner's absence, as the dogs were 
faithful to their trust. 

The principal military organizations in New York in the 
late fifties, were the Seventh regiment, Colonel Abram Duryea, 
later commanded by Colonel Marshall Lefiferts, the Seventy- 
first regiment. Colonel Vosburg, organized originally as native 
Americans, the Eighth Washington Grays, Colonel Varian, the 
Ninth Regiment, Colonel Green later by Colonel James Fiske, 
the Sixty-ninth Regiment, mostly those of Irish birth or parents, 
Colonel Michael Corcoran, the Fifty-fifth Regiment or Guard 
Lafayette were all Frenchmen. The Seventy-ninth were all 
Scotchmen and on parade wore kilts. The Washington Gray 
Troop composed largely of butchers with their gray horses 
was a good organization. The two separate companies were 
the City and Light Guards. The latter merged into the Sev- 
enty-first Regiment, Company A. Subsequently the Fifth Reg- 
iment was organized, composed largely of Germans, and com- 
manded by Colonel Charles Spencer, a prominent lawyer and 
II 



130 BACKWARD GLANCES 

politician, also the twelfth. The Twenty-second Regiment was 
organized about the same time, which was rather rivals to the 
seventh. It was organized first among the insurance and bank 
men of Wall Street. 



CHAPTER FIFTEEN 

AS this work is general in describing, I must not for- 
get the churches, so will enumerate a few as I 
remember them at that period, and it is character- 
istic that most of the Episcopal and Roman Cath- 
lic Churches are at this time at the same place as they were half 
a century ago. All the other denominations were migrators, 
many of them moving three or four times during this period. 
The principal Episcopal churches were Trinity on Broadway", 
head of Wall Street, Dr. Berrian being the rector. The steeple 
of this church was largely visited by sight-seers, it being the 
highest point in the city.) The sexton charged one shilling, 
$.12^ for the privilege. It was a favorite spot for newly- 
married couples, and there were thousands of names cut in the 
woodwork in the top of the spire and in plages hard to get 
at, so that they would never be obliterated. (^ St. Paul's on 
Broadway between Fulton and Vesey Streets, St. George's on 
Beekman Street corner of Cliff. About i860 St. George's 
removed to Sixteenth Street corner of Livingston Place oppo- 
site Stuyvesant Park. Dr. Stephen Tyng was the rector. St. 
John's, Varick Street opposite St. John's Park. The park is 
now a freight depot for the New York Central and Hudson 
River Railroad. St. Stephen's, corner of Broome and Christy 
Streets, St. Thomas', northwest corner of Broadway and Hous- 
ton, burned down about 1857. This church is now corner of 
Fifth Avenue and Fifty-third Street.^ Fire seems to have fol- 
lowed it as the church here was burned in 1907. A temporary 
one is now occupied, a new one being in course of erection on 
the same site. ' St. Mark's on the Bowery, Tenth Street and 
Second Avenue, Dr. Vinton rector for many years, being suc- 
ceeded by Dr. Rylance. The graveyard of this church con- 
tains the remains of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch Governor 
of New York, and the church has a reverance for the writer 
as his great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, Margrietje 

131 



132 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Cozine, was married there in 1662 by the Reverend Henry Sol- 
gus, who was pastor at that time, it being the first marriage to 
take place in the church after its erection. The graveyard 
which surrounds the edifice came into unpleasant notoriety some 
thirty-eight years ago by having the body of Alexander T. Stew- 
art, which had been interred there, stolen. It was a long time 
before it was believed to have been recovered and it is pre- 
sumed that it is now buried in the crypt under the cathedral at 
Garden City, Long Island, which church was erected by Mrs. 
Stewart as a memorial to her husband in 1877. Among the 
many others were St. Luke's, Hudson Street near Carmine; 
Wainwright Memorial, Waverly Place corner of Amos Street, 
now West Tenth Street ; Church of the Annunciation, Dr. Sam- 
uel Seabury, rector, south side of Fourteenth Street between 
Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Salvation Army building is now 
on the site. Church of the Holy Communion, corner of Sixth 
Avenue and Twentieth Street, Dr. Muhlenberg, rector ; Cal- 
vary, corner of Fourth Avenue and Twenty-first Street, Dr. 
Hawks, rector ; Grace, Broadway and Tenth Street, Dr Hunt- 
ington, rector; St. Bartholomew's, on Lafayette Place near 
Fourth Street, Reverend Dr. George Cook, rector. This church 
has since removed to Forty- fourth Street and Madison Ave- 
nue. Church of the Ascension, Fifth Avenue corner of Tenth 
Street; Church of the Heavenly Rest, Forty-fifth Street and 
Fitfh Avenue; St. Peter's, Twentieth Street near Ninth Ave- 
nue; St. Ann's, Seventeenth Street near Broadway, subse- 
quently became church for deaf mutes, Dr. Galhiudet being 
rector. Trinity Chapel, Twenty-sixth Street near Broadway, 
Dr. Francis Vinton being rector ; Church of the Holy Apostle, 
Ninth Avenue and Twenty-eighth Street; Christ's Church, 
Fifth Avenue and Thirty-fifth Street. There was also an 
Episcopal Church in Leonard Street in 1855. corner of Church 
Street, on south side of street. I don't remember its name. 
Church of the Incarnation, Madison Avenue and Thirty-fifth 
Street, and Church of the Transfiguration, No. i East Twenty- 
eighth Street, Dr. Houghton, rector. Also St. James' now at 
Seventy-third Street and Madison Avenue. Reverend Dr. Ho- 



BACKWARD GLANCES 133 

ratio Potter, D. D., was the Episcopal Bishop of the southern 
New York Diocese in 1855. He was succeeded by Bishop 
Wainwright. 

(^ Among the Roman CathoHc Churches were St. Peter's on 
Barclay, corner of Church Street; St. Andrew's, Duane near 
Chatham; St. Alphonsus's, South Fifth Avenue and Canal; 
St. Anthony's, Sullivan and Thompson- near Prince Street. The 
old cathedral was in Mott Street, corner of Prince. Third 
Street Church at First Avenue ; Second Avenue Church, corner 
of Second Street; French Church, Twenty-third Street near 
Sixth Avenue ; St. Joseph's Church, Sixth Avenue West Wash- 
ington Place; St. Francis Xavier, Sixteenth Street and Sixth 
Avenue ; St. Bernard's West Fourteenth Street and Sixth Ave- 
nue ; St. Ann's, Twelfth Street, Rt. Reverend John Hughes was 
the Archbishop. 

Among the Presbtyerian Churches was the Brick Church 
on Park Row, Beekman and Nassau Streets, which was sur- 
rounded by a graveyard. This was torn down and the church 
moved to Fifth Avenue and Thirty-seventh Street. The site 
of the old church was occupied by the Times and World Build- 
ing. Fifth Avenue Presbtyerian, Fifth Avenue and Twelfth 
Street is still there. Dr. Alexander's, University Place and 
Tenth Street, they removed to Fifty-fifth Street and Fifth 
Avenue. Spring Street Presbyterian was on Spring Street 
near Varick. Dr. Crosby's Church was corner of Fourth Ave- 
nue and Twenty-second Street, now located corner of Broad- 
way and 1 14th Street, west side. 

The Methodists had the old John Street Church. Also the 
Bedford Street. St. Paul's, corner of Fourth Avenue and 
Twenty-second Street, another on Second Avenue and Four- 
teenth Street and one in Seventeenth Street near First Ave- 
nue. The Washington Square Methodist was on Fourth Street 
Washington Square. There was another Methodist Church 
in Seventh Avenue near Fourteenth Street. 

Among the Congregational Dutch Churches there was one 
on Fulton Street comer of William. Dr. Cheever's Church 
was on Fifteenth Street Union Square. Tiffany Building is 



134 BACKWARD GLANCES 

now on the site. The Tabernacle (Dr. Chapin) was on Broad- 
way above Spring Street, east side. It removed to Sixth Ave- 
nue, corner of Thirty-fourth Street. Hope Chapel was on 
Broadway opposite Waverly Place. St. Matthew's, northeast 
corner of Broome and Elizabeth Streets was the only Lutheran 
Church in New York. 

The principal Baptist Church was on Second Avenue and 
Tenth Street. There was another in Broome Street called 
the First Baptist, Dr. Thomas Anderson was the rector. The 
latter removed to Thirty-ninth Street and Park Avenue. All 
Souls Unitarian Church, Dr. Osgood, was the comer of Fourth 
Avenue and Twentieth Street, called the Beefsteak Church, the 
color and way the bricks were laid of which it was built 
resembled a beefsteak. The Quakers had their two meeting 
houses, one on Sixteenth Street, corner of Livingston Place, 
opposite Stuyvesant Park, and the other on Twentieth Street 
near Third Avenue. In Brooklyn, Holy Trinity, Dr. Little- 
john, rector, was on Clinton Street near Montague. Grace 
Church was on Grace Court, foot of Remsen Street. St. 
Ann's was on Washington Street corner of Sand Street, 
removed to Clinton and Livingston ; St. Peter's on State Street 
near Nevins ; St. John's corner of Johnson and Washington ; 
St. Luke's on Clinton Avenue, Dr. Diller, rector, who was lost 
in the Seawanika disaster. These were all Episcopal Churches. 
Plymouth Church was in Cranberry Street near Henry. Hen- 
ry Ward Beecher was the preacher. Church of the Pilgrims, 
corner of Henry and Remsen Streets. Reverend R. S. Stors 
was the pastor. Both of these were congregational. The Old 
Dutch Church was corner of Court and Jerolemon Streets. 
The Sands Street Methodist was on Sand Street just off Ful- 
ton Street, and ran through to High Street. The clergyman 
here was Reverend Charles Fletcher. Dr. Farley'f. Unitarian 
Church was on Monroe Place, near Pierpont Street. St. 
James' Roman Catholic Church was on Jay near Concord 
Street, Reverend Dr. McCloskey, rector. St. Mary's of Star 
of the Sea was in Court Street below First Place. St. Charles 
Boromeo was in Sydney Place comer of Livingston Street. 



BACKWARD GLANCES 135 

Father Pease was the rector. There was a Methodist Church 
corner of Johnson Street and Lawrence called the Eel Pot. 

There were many more that I can locate, such as one cor- 
ner of Jerolomon and Clinton, Amity Street near Henry, Clark 
Street corner of Monroe Place, but do not remember their 
pursuation. 

Dr. Cuyler's was on Lafayette Avenue near Hanson Place. 
Reverend DeWitt Talmage's Tabernacle was built at a later 
date on State Street corner of Nevins, destroyed by fire. 

The principal libraries were the Astor in Lafayette Place, 
Society Library, University Place and Thirteenth Street, Ap- 
prentices' Library, Mechanics Hall, Broadway and Broome 
Street, Mercantile Library, incorporated in 1823, in Clinton 
Hall, Astor Place, of which the author was a member in 1855, 
New York Historical Society Library, Second Avenue and 
Tenth Street., 



CHAPTER SIXTEEN 

AT this part of my narrative I must not forget to 
mention the names of those that were considered 
milHonaires fifty-five to sixty years ago in New 
York. As near as I can remember they come about 
the two dozen limit, although there were many that were close 
to it and really counted as such. William B. Astor, Lafayette 
Place, headed the original list. Then came Stephen Whitney, 
7 Bowling Green, William H. Aspinwall, Tenth Street and 
University Place, James Lenox, 53 Fifth Avenue, Peter Loril- 
lard, George Law, 243 Fifth Avenue, A. T. Stewart, DePau 
Row, Bleecker Street, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Mercer Street cor- 
ner of Washington Place, Peter Cooper, Lexington Avenue and 
Twenty-first Street, Peter Goelet, Broadway and Nineteenth 
Street, Robert Goelet, Seventeenth Street and Broadway, 
Moses Taylor, Fifth Avenue and Seventeenth Street, Henry 
Parish, Broadway and Seventeenth Street, Henry Brevoort, 
Fifth Avenue and Ninth Street, Jonathan Thorne, 3 Washing- 
ton Square, W. B. Crosby, Rutgers Place, James Gordon Ben- 
nett, Paul SpoflFord, John D. Wolfe, Mr. Hendricks, Gardiner 
Howland, Peter Harmony, Frederick Bronson, Peter Scher- 
merhom, 61 University Place, S. Lispenard, John Haggerty, 26 
Bond Street. There were quite a number near or quite mil- 
lionaires, viz., Hamilton Fish, Second Avenue corner of Sev- 
enteenth Street, Robert B. Minturn, Stephen B. Munn, Sam 
Willets, Lafayette Place, Anson G. Phelps, Rutherford Stuy- 
vesant. Second Avenue and Fifteenth Street, Gourveneur Mor- 
ris, James Brown, A. C. Kingsland, W. P. Furness, 11 Bond 
Street, William E. Dodge, Richard K. Haight, Fifth Avenue 
and Fifteenth Street, Don Alonzo Cushman, Twentieth 
Street and Ninth Avenue, P. T. Barnum, Eugene Ket- 
tletas, 37 St. Marks Place, John Q. Jones, John Harbeck, 
Jonathan Sturges, C. V. S. Roosevelt, Royal Phdps, William 
Niblo, Dr. Townsend, G. S. Burnham, Cyrus W. Field, Lo- 

136 



BACKWARD GLANCES 137 

renzo Delmonico, Philip Hone, James Beekman, Jacob Cram, 
William E. Dodge, Thirty-seventh Street and Madison Avenue, 
William Rhinelander, 14 Washington Square, James Ker- 
nochan, 145 Second Avenue, R. L. Stuart, A. A. Low, Oliver 
H. Jones, David Dows, W. B. Astor, Jr., John Jacob Astor, 
Marshall O. Roberts, George Opdyke, Daniel Drew, Edwin 
Mathews,! Francis Skiddy, James Meinell, August Belmont, Mr. 
Samson. . 

The reader most likely by this time may have had a sur- 
feit of old times and is ruminating to himself how could the 
author have written so many memories without having docu- 
ments handy for reference. Also his knowledge of general 
events of many kinds may seem astonishing. This condition I 
must be allowed to explain, viz : As a boy at school I was 
always reading the papers of the day, which appeared in many 
cases by the week, and I remembered what I read. As a young 
man I continued same but got the papers daily instead of 
weekly. I was fond of all athletic sports and was a member 
of a gymnasium, Burnam's in Brooklyn, often visiting Ottig- 
non's in Crosby Street and Wood's in Twenty-eighth Street 
near Fifth Avenue, thus watching the doings in the art of self- 
defense, without associating in any way in that strata of society, 
residing alone in a boarding house hall room, $3.50 per week, 
with meals thrown in, gave me large opportunities to visit the- 
atres, and without being egotistical, would say I vv^as a great 
observer of life in every way. My knowledge of horse events 
was bred in me. That accounts for my being posted somewhat 
in horse history, and for some parts to get many dates to be 
accurate consulted my scrap book. I would now call your 
attention to view the present period and make your own com- 
parisons. The Goddess of Liberty with torch in her hand has 
for some years been standing on Bedloe's Island, very close 
to the site of Albert W. Hicks' the Pirates Hanging. From her 
high pedestal she looks down at the Battery this year of our 
Lord 1914, and if life existed in that inanimate bronze figure, 
would exclaim, "Can this be the Battery of old times ?" although 
to her gaze on Castle Williams, which was erected by Colonel 



138 BACKWARD GLANCES 

Williams, an officer in the army, that still retains its ancient 
appearance. The Custom House, just completed, faces Bowl- 
ing Green. On the east is the new Produce Exchange. On 
the west facing the Battery Park the Field Building, the Bowl- 
ing Green Building being next door on Broadway. The Stand- 
ard Oil Building is on the east just above Beaver Street. 

Observe the four bridges to Brooklyn, the elevated rail- 
road, subways, and electric tramways. Go to the east and go 
to the west and the same vision meets your eye. Immense 
buildings of commerce, banks, trust companies, insurance and 
law offices exist. Follow the line of Broadway for twelve miles 
clear to the Harlem River, where ten bridges cross and you 
will note grand apartment houses, hotels, churches and resi- 
dences nearly the whole length, some hotels having one thou- 
sand rooms and apartment houses, four hundred apartments 
under one roof, and on the east side take Madison Avenue 
across the river at 138th Street, and up in the Borough of 
the Bronx to West Farms. Immense structures meet your eye 
on Third and Westchester Avenues. There are too many to 
enumerate, so I ask the reader, observe for yourself and draw 
your own deduction of the buried past and the living present. 

I will now draw my reminiscences to a close with the hope 
that my book may not be too unfavorably criticised because I 
may have omitted to put in matter which others may remem- 
ber, I having only inserted my own memories, and in doing so 
have been forced to freely use the pronoun "I" to make my 
meaning plain to the everyday reader, for which liberty it is 
hoped indulgence will be granted. During the past few years 
in the daily papers have appeared inquiries relative to events 
of years ago. This work may come in good to determine and 
explain many disputed questions. 

Trusting that they have been enjoyed by the reader as 
much as it has pleased me in writing them, I can now say adieu. 



APPENDIX A 

Several Writings from the Old Epoch 
"Merman" "Mermaid" "Memoirs" 

AFTER closing up the foregoing part of this work 
which largely refers to affairs in New York and 
Brooklyn, with allusion in some cases to Long 
Island matters, by mere chance I found a rare 
volume in my library, which had been overlooked for many 
years, containing events which happened on Long Island close 
to four score years past, so I have deemed it advisable to insert 
this discovery as an appendix to this production, being perfectly 
sanguine that it will be of unusual interest to many residents of 
the new County of Nassau, as well as to those of the old County 
of Suffolk. 

In the years 1839 to 1840 several New York gentlemen 
who were fond of shooting and fishing would make a sporting 
pilgrimage down on the south shore of Long Island to a place 
called "Scio." This was Jim Smith's old hostelry situated on 
the main turnpike, Brooklyn to Babylon, being on the north- 
west corner of the road which led to Jerusalem from *Jerusa- 
lem South (now Sea ford). This hotel was quite famous as a 
stopping place for those driving out from New York and 
Brooklyn, as also for those who arrived by the railroad. At 
this period the Long Island Railroad did not extend any further 
east than Hicksville, so stages were taken at this place for Jeru- 
salem South, South Oyster Bay and Babylon. These city 
sportsmen would generally drive down, reaching their destina- 
tion about sunset, being in good time for supper, which was a 
royal feast indeed. After a bracer of gin and tansy, a bever- 
age concocted in those days, they would sit down around the 
festive board and partake of a nice broiled yellow leg snipe or 



•"Subsequently Atlanticville. 

139 



140 APPENDIX 

a plover, with trout out of Smith's pond, which was just west 
of the house, and then last but not least, fried and stewed eels 
fresh out of the Bay, with home made wheat and rye bread 
and butter, as an accompaniment. Could you wish for any- 
thing more delectable? I would here observe that in my youth- 
ful days I never saw wheat bread furnished at a meal, except 
in the home of a land owner or person in fairly good circum- 
stances. The poor farmer who leased the land and tilled it on 
shares with the owner and the Dayman who thrived upon what 
he could procure from out of the Bay usually had rye bread or 
corn meal bread upon his table. After satisfying their appetite, a 
whale oil lamp was provided to give them light and they would 
retire for the night, lying in the center of a thick feather 
bed, to be awakened about 2 A. M. to get down to the creek 
to take a skiff across the Bay or a sail boat to Fire Island, so 
as to be there at break of day, when the snipe, ducks and geese 
would begin to fly, or they would drive down to Babylon, a 
distance of about eight miles, and take a skiff and cross the Bay 
at that point for Fire Island, they being accompanied by sev- 
eral Daymen from Verity's Creek (now in Sea ford) who had 
been engaged before hand by them to act as guides. These 
Baymen were Uncle John Verity. Obadiah Verity, John Alibi 
and (Venus) Parmenus Raynor and Raynor Rock. The latter 
had constructed a hut on Fire Island not far from the old light- 
house, which was used by his crew for living purposes when 
operating their seine to procure fish to send to Fulton Market, 
or as a refuge in the winter season when a vessel got ashore on 
Jones's Beach for they then would remain out there two or 
three weeks at a time, getting what they could gather from off 
the wreck. John Alibi used his old flint lock gun at this time 
and when he brought it to his shoulder to fire at a flock of 
birds you may be sure not a shot was wasted. A swath would 
be visible as if a scythe had plowed through the aperture. 

Among the New York contingent referred to in the ])re- 
ceeding lines was a *Mr. J. Cypress, Jr., who was a writer of 



*( William P. Hawes). 



APPENDIX 



141 



articles on sporting matters for a monthly periodical edited in 
New York by **J. S. Skinner, called The American Turf Reg- 
ister and Sporting Magazine. When on these trips the even- 
ings were passed all hands sitting or lying around the fire in 
the middle of the hut by stories being told by one or the other 
of the city bred men, for the edification of the rural mem- 
bers of the household, as the Baymen always took their guests 
to their hut to reside while on the expedition, and Mr. Cypress 
would put these stories in good shape and then send them in 
to the magazine in New York. Oliver Paul, a Quaker (Hick- 
site) and Ned Locus, whose uncle was porter of the Pearl 
Street Bank (so he says) belonged to this aggregation, as also 

Daniel , a native and Peter Probasco were accessions. 

All good story tellers, each one taking his turn. One of the 
letters appear in Volume Eleven, which was issued in May, 
1840, headed "A Week at the Fire Islands on Long Island," 
t>y J- Cypress, Jr. 

The following is copied from this letter, which was on 
"Mermans" and "Mermaids." 

"ASLEEP! Venus!"— cried Ned,— "it would be difficult 
for any sensible person to fall asleep during a recital of such 
original and thrilling interest. The Argonautic expedition, the 
perilous navigation of Eneas, the bold adventure of the New 
England pilgrims" — 

"Have my doubts," snorted Peter, interrupting Ned's lau- 
dation, in a voice not so articulate but that the utterance might 
have been acknowledged for the profound expression of the 
sentiments of a gentleman in the land of dreams. Peter's 
drowsiness had finally prevailed not only over his sense of 
hearing, but also even over his sense of imbibition. I picked 
up his cannikin, and solemnly shook my own head in place of 
his, as he pronounced the oracular judgment." Have my doubts, 
mostly, mister, I say," he grumbled again, and then the veteran 
gray battalion that stood marshalled upon his chin, erect, and 
John of Gaunt like, or rather like the ragged columns of the 



**Subsequently by Wm. T. Porter. 



142 APPENDIX 

Giant's Causeway, bristled up to meet the descent of his over- 
hanging, ultra-Wellington nose. There was a noise as of a 
muttered voice of trumpets, — and then it gradually died away, 
and there was a deep, deep peace. To use Peter's own classical 
language, he was "shut up." 

"Asleep? Not a man, Venus," said Oliver Paul. "If 
thee tell us such yarns as that, we wont go to sleep all night. 
But thee must not ask us to believe them." 

"Well, every man must believe for himself," replied Venus, 
"I expect. I admit it's likely the captin must have stretched a 
leetle about the length o' time he was out, I should say. But 
it's easy to make a mistake about the number of days in them 
latitudes, you know ; 'cause I've heerd say the sun shines there 
several days together on a stretch, sometimes, without goen 
down none; and then agin it's as dark as pitch for a hull 
month, and no moon nother. Some people reckons the sun 
can't rise there, no how, winter momens, on account it's bein' 
so darn'd cold. How is it about that, Mr. Cypress? You're 
college larnt, I expect." 

"It's a long answer to that question, Venus. Since Captain 
Symmes returned from his penetration into the north pole, there 
has been a vast addition to our stores of knowledge of the 
character and habits of the sun. Professor Saltonstall con- 
tends, and proves, to my satisfaction, at the least, that the god 
of day is a living animal, the Behemoth of the Scriptures. But 
I'll tell you all about that some other, better opportunity ; — the 
next time we're stooling snipe together, in Pine Creek. Let's 
have another story, now. Zoph, can't you get up something? 
What was that Venus said about mermaids ? Were there ever 
any mermaids about here?" 

"Can't say — can't say," answered Zoph, with a hesitating, 
inquiring sort of deliberation: "Can't say, for my part; but 
I've heerd folks tell there used to be lots on 'em." 

"Sarten, sarten, no doubt;" continued Daniel, with better 
confidence. "I know, that in th' time o' my gr't gr'ndf'th'r 
they used to be pr'tty considerabl' plenty. Th' old man had a 



APPENDIX 143 

smart tussel with a he merm'd — a merman, I sh'd say — one 
day." 

"Let's have that, Dannel ;" cried two or three voices at 
once. 

"Let's have a drink, first ;" interposed Dan's co-partner in 
the eel trade, — who probably knew the necessity of soaking the 
story — at the same time uncorking the jug. "Here, Dannel, 
hand the tumbler over to Mr. Paul." 

"Don't drink — don't drink, boys ;" advised the virtuous 
Oliver, as usual. "Well, if you will," — resting the jug upon his 
knee with his right hand, and bringing its avenue of discharge 
into no merely suspicious juxta-position to the tumbler in his 
left — "if you will, you will. Some pork will boil that way." 

"It's goen to be a dry story, I expect, Mr. Paul. My 
throat feels 'mazen dusty a'ready." 

A general drought prevailed, and the watering-pot per- 
formed its interesting and refreshing functions. 

At last, the ground being put in order, Dan prepared to 
sow the crop. So he hummed and hawed, and threw out his 
quid, and drew his sleeve across his chin, and began his work 
after this wise — Dan, it will be perceived, is a special econo- 
mist of vowels, and uses no more words than are precisely 
necessary to "express his sentiments." 

"Why, y' see, th' old man was one o' th' first settlers that 
come down from M'sschus'tts, and he tuk a small farm on 
shears down to Fort-neck, and he'd everything fix'd accorden. 
The most his time, hows'm'ver, he spent in the bay, clammen 
and sich like. He was putty tol'r'bl' smart with a gun, too, 
and he was the first man that made wooden stools for ducks. 
So he was out bright and arely one morn'n — he'd laid out all 
night, likely — and he'd his stool sot out on th' n'r-east side o' 
a hassck off Wanza's Flat, — (the place tuk its name from gr"t 
gr'ndf'th'r,) — th' wind bein' from th' so'-west princip'ly; and 
he lay in his skiff in th's hassck, putty well hid for't was in th' 
fall of th' year, and the sedge was smart and high. Well, jest 
arter day'd fairly broke, and the faawl begun to stir, he reck- 
oned he heer'd a kind o' splashen in the water, like geese pick'n 



144 APPENDIX 

and wash'n themselves. So he peeked through the grass, 
softly, to see where the flock was ; but, 'stead o' geese, he see a 
queer looken old feller waden 'long on the edge o' th' flat, 
jest by th' channel, benden low down, w^th a bow and arr in 
his hands, all fixed, ready to shoot, and his eye upon gr't 
gr'ndf'th'r's stool. 'That feller thinks my stool's faawl,' says 
the old man to himself, softly, 'cause he 'xpected the fell'r was 
an Ingen, and there wa'n't no tellen whether he was friendly 
or not, in them times. So he sot still and watched. The bow 
and arr kept goen on, and to rights it stopped. Then the feller 
what had it, ris up and pulled string, and let slip. Slap went 
the arr, strut into one o' gr't Gr'ndf'th'r's broadbills, and stuck 
fast, shaken. The old man sniggled as he see th' other feller 
pull, and then jump and splash thro' th' water to pick up his 
game, but he said nothen. Well, the merm'n — as it turned out 
to be — got to th' stool, and he seemed most won'rf'll s'prized 
th' birds didn't get up and fly, and then he tuk up the br'db'll, 
and pulled out his arr, and turned the stool ov'r and ov'r, and 
smelt it, and grinned, and seemed quite uneasy to make out 
what 'twas. Then he tuk up 'nother one, and he turned *em 
putty much all ov'r, and tore their anchors loose. 

"Gr't gr'ndf'th'r wa'n't a bit skeered, and he didn't like 
this much, but he didn't want to git into a passion with an 
Ingen, for they're full o' fight, and he loved peace : and besides 
he didn't want to take no dis'advantage on 'im, and he'd two 
guns loaded in th' skifif, and th' other fellor hadn't only a bow 
and arr, and the old man hoped he'd clear out soon. It wa'n't 
to be, hows'mver, that the old man shouldn't get int' a scrape ; 
for what's the feller with the bow and arr do, arter consideren 
and smellen a smart and long spell, but pick up the whole stool 
— every one on 'em — and sling 'em ov'r's shoulder, and begin 
to make tracks ! Gr't gr'ndf'th'r couldn't stand that 'ere. So 
he sung out to him, putty loud and sharp, to lay down them 
stools ; and he shoved the skifif out the hassck, and then he see 
plain enough it was a merm'n. Then the old man was a leetle 
started, I expect. Hows'mver, he shoved right up to him, and 
eot his old muskets ready. Well, the merm'n turned round. 



APPENDIX 145 

and sich another looken mortal man gr't gr'ndf'th'r said he 
never did see. He'd big bushy hair all ov'r 'im, and big whisk- 
ers, and his eyes was green and small's a mushrats, and where 
the flesh was he was ruther scaly-like. He hadn't stitch clothes 
ont' 'm, but the water was up to's waist, and kivered 'im up 
so that gr't gr'ndf'th'r couldn't see the biggest part on 'im. 
Soon's the old man got done jawen, the merm'n he begun to 
talk out the darndest talk you ever heerd. I disremember 
'xactly, but I b'lieve 'twas something like 'norgus porgus carry- 
Yorkus,' and all sich stuff. Ephr'm Salem, the schoolmaster, 
used to reckon 'twas Lating, and meant somethin' 'bout takin' 
load o' p' porgees down to York other some said 'twas Dutch : 
but I can't say. Well, the old man let him talk his talk out, 
and then he tuk his turn. Says the old man, says he, 'it ant 
respect'ble, 'tant honest, mister merm'n, to hook other people's 
property. Them's my stool,' says he. 'Ye lie,' says the 
merm'n, — speakin' so gr't gr'ndf'th'r could hear 'im plain 
enough when he cum to the pint, — 'ye lie,' says he, 'I jest now 
shot 'em.' 

" 'Shot 'em, you b ,' says the old man, gittin mad: 

'shot 'em? them's wooden stools what I made myself, and 
anchored 'em here las night.' 

" 'That's 'nother,' says the merm'n ; 'ye blackguard, 
they're only dead ducks spetrer fried and turned into white oak. 
I'm seen 'em here, and knowed they was cotched fast into the 
eel grass, a smart and long while : good mornen, my old cock, 
I must be goen.' 

" 'Lay them stool down,' says gr't gr'ndf'th'r, 'lay them 
stool down, or, by golly, I'll put a charge o' shot into ye.' 

" 'Shoot away, my man,' says the merm'n, sneerin like, 
and he turns off to clear out. So, the old man sein his stool 
walked off in that 'ere way, cotched up one o' his guns, and, 
by jings, he let slip right into the merm'n's back, and marked 
him from his shoulders down, thick as mustard-seed, with 
about three ounces of No. 3, — what the old man put in for 
brant the night afore. The old thief was putty well riddled, 
I expect. He jumped up out th' water 'bout a yard high, 



146 APPENDIX 

and squealed out's if he was killed. But he wa'n't tho', for 
arter rubbin his back a leetle while, he turned round, and says 
he, 'now, I s'pose you think you've done it, don't you ?' quite 
sharp and saucy: 'I wanted a little lead into me for ballast; 
what's the costs, squire?' 

" 'Lay down them 'ere stool,' says the old man, 'lay down 
them 'ere stool.' 'I won't,' says the merm'n. 'If ye don't,' 
says gr't gr'ndf'th'r, 'I'll give ye t'other gun, and that's loaded 
with double B ; may be ye won't like that quite so well, per- 
haps.' 

" 'Fire away and be d — d,' says the merm'n, and the old 
man giv' it to him, sure enough. This time he planted it right 
int' his face and eyes, and the blood run out all white like milk. 
The merm'n hollored, and yawked, and swore, and rubbed, and 
he let the stool drop, and he seemed to be putty much blinded 
and done up, and gr't gr'ndf'th'r thought he was spoke for. 
Hows'm'ver he thought it was best to load up and be ready in 
case o' the merm'n's gittin well, and comin at 'im 'gen. But 
just as he tuk up his horn to prime, the merm'n div and van- 
ished. 'What's the how, now?' says gr't gr'ndf'th'r, and he 
got up onto the gunnels o' the boat, to watch for squalls ; and 
he stood there teteren on a larboard and starboard straddle, 
looken out putty sharp, for he reckoned there was somethin 
comin. There wa'n't no mistake 'bout that, for t'rights the old 
man felt the skiff shaken under 'im, and he see right off that 
the merm'n was down below, tryen t'upset 'im and git 'im int' 
the water. That ruther started the old man, for he knowed 
if he once got int' th' water, he'd stand no kind o' chance with 
a merm'n, which is jest the same as an otter, 'xcept the sense, 
you know. So he jumped down to his oars, to pull for the 
hassck. That wouldn't answer much, tho', for th' oars hadn't 
touched water 'fore the merm'n broke 'em smack off, and the 
old man had to pull the sprit out the sail, and take to shoven. 
The moment he struck bottom, he heerd a kind o' gnmten laugh 
under th' skiff, and somebody drew the sprit down, deep int' 
th' mud, so that th' old man couldn't pull it out ; at th' same 
time th' merm'n tilted th' skiff over smart and far, so that her 



APPENDIX 147 

keel was 'most out o' water, and th' old man was taken strut 
off both's feet, and highsted up int' th' air, high and dry, holden 
onto the eend o' the sprit ; and the skiff shot away, and left 
'im, twenty yards off, or twenty-five I sh'd say, mostly. The 
sprit was putty stiff, I expect, tho' it bent smartly; but gr't 
gr'ndf'th'r hung on't, like death to a dead nigger, his feet bein 
'bout three foot from the water's edge when he held up his 
knees." 

"Dan," said I (taking advantage of a moment's pause, 
during which he experienced imbibition), "was the old gentle- 
man on your father's or your mother's side?" 

"Have my doubts he don't know nuther," again muttered 
the sleeping sceptic, whose tympanum readily acknowledged 
the interruption of a voice foreign to the story, — "but his 
father was a smart man, and I knowed him." 

"Gravius anhelata! Good night, Peter." 

"Mr. Cypress," said Dan, with a face full of sincere 
anxiety, "would I tell you anything I did not believe?" 

"No, Dan, never; no, no; go on, go on. I only asked 
for information." 

"Well, where was I? — Yes — yes — Well, there th' old man 
hung ont' th' top th' sprit, not taken much comfort, I sh'd say. 
Then, up, by course, pops the merm'n, and begins to make all 
kinds o' fun th' old man, and gives 'im all sorts o' saace, whilst 
he stood in the water clost by th' sprit, washen off the blood 
and pick'n the shots out his face. Gr't gr'ndf'th'r wouldn't 
answ'r 'im back, tho', 'cause he knowed it wa'n't no use, but 
he kept wishen some boat would come along and give 'im a 
hand, and he 'xpected there must be somebody or nother out 
that day. Meantime, tho', he tho't 'twas best to let th' merm'n 
see he wa'n't 'fraid on 'im none, so he tuk out his tinder-box 
and pipe, and struck a light and set up smoken, quite at ease. 
Well, there he hung and smoked, putty much all of three hours, 
till he got consid'r'ble tired, I sh'd say, and the merm'n looked's 
good's new, only 'xcepten the holes in's face, which was all 
thick together like th' holes in th' black banks, where the fid- 
dlers come out on. 'Wont you walk down, sir?' says the 



148 APPENDIX 

merm'n, arter a while, to gr"t gr'ndf'th'r, quite p'lite; 'I sh'ld 
be quite happy to shake hands wi' ye, and make it up.' 

"Gr't gr'ndf'th'r wouldn't say a word. 

"'Wont ye answer, d — n ye?' says the cunnen devil, 
gritt'n's teeth ; and he walks up to th' sprit, and lays hold, and 
shakes it hard, jist as ye'd shake a young pear tree. 'Drop 
off, drop off,' says he, shaken 'er all his might. 

"Then th' old man made up his mind he'd got to come ; 
so he watches 'is chance, and gives a spring, and jumps, so as 
to strike th' merm'n's shoulder, and from that he jumps agin, 
a good long stretch, tow'rds the hassck, where the water was 
shallerer. 

"The merm'n was arter 'im strut, and cotched 'im up in no 
time, and then they clinched. That 'ere fight I sh'ld like to 
seen, may be I don't think. It was hip and thigh, and toss up 
for the best, for putty much an hour 'bouts ; sometimes the 
merm'n bein' ahead, and sometimes gr't gr'ndf'th'r, dependen 
mostly on th' depth th' water ; for when th' old man could 
keep's ground in shaller water, he could lick the merm'n to 
thunder ; but the merm'n was leetle the activest in deep water. 
Well, it couldn't be 'xpected but what they sh'ld both get pr'tty 
smart and tired, and I reckon they was both willen to 'cknowl- 
edge beat. Th' old man was jist goen to, when the merm'n 
sings out, 'Mister, let's stop and rest.' 

" 'Done,' says gr't gr'ndf'th'r, glad enough; and they stop- 
ped short, and went to th' hassck, and sot down en th' sedge 
grass, both breathen like a porpus. 

"Arter they'd sot there a little while, and got breath, th' 
old man sung out he was ready ; but the merm'n said he wa'n't, 
and he reck'n'd he felt putty smart and bad. So th' old man 
thought 'twould be a good time to go arter's skiff. 'You 
oughtn't t've shoved my boat away, any how,' says he; 'how 
shall I get back t'hum t'-night ?' 

" 'That's true,' says the merm'n, quite reason'bl' ; 'if y'll 
promise to come right back, and finish this 'ere fight, I'll let ye 
go and swim arter it.' 

"'I will,' says th' old man, 'Honor bright;' and off he 



APPENDIX 149 

swum. When he got off 'bout two rod, he looked back at 
the merm'n, and he thought he seemed to be 'mazen pale and 
sick. 'Make haste back,' sings out the merm'n. 'Ay, ay,' 
says th' old man, and he strtick away. 

"The tide had drifted th' skiff a smart ways off, and she 
lay putty much down t' th' beach, on a bar ; and 'twas quite a 
spell 'fore the old man could get back to the hassck. But when 
he arriv' there wa'n't a hair of a merm'n to b' seen, only in the 
place where he'd sot there was a big heap o' white jelly, like a 
stingen quarll. Gr't gr'ndf'th'r kicked it over w'his foot, and 
it made a thin squeak, like a swaller high up overhead, and he 
reckoned it giv' 'im a kind o' lect'ral shock. So he .-ot to work 
and picked up his stools, which was scattered putty much all 
over the bay, and he cleared out t'hum. That's the last he 
seen o' that merm'n." 

"Surely, surely. Walloped him into nothen, I expect;' 
said Venus. "I give in arter that, Dannel." 

"Have my doubts, agen ;" sung out Peter, waking up from 
the straw, where his universally incredulous judgment had been 
for some time past taking unquiet and sonorous repose. "Have 
my doubts, mister, I say." 

"You're drunk, old vulture-nose;" cried Ned, authori- 
tatively. "Shut up ; I'm satisfied that the story is true. What 
object could the old man have had in telling a lie? Besides, 
everybody knows that mermaids were plenty here once. 
Wasn't Jerry Smith's wife a mermaid? Didn't I see one 
myself, once, in Brick-house brook, when I was trouting?" 

"Likely, likely;" quoth Oliver. "Tell us about that, 
Eddy. When was it? I never heard thee mention it before." 

"Yes, you have, Oliver, fifty times: but, as it is a short 
story, and I should like to resolve Peter's doubts, for once, I'll 
tell it again. — Don't interrupt me now. — It was one April 
morning, in that year when you and I had the great flight of 
geese, Raynor. I went up through the woods, and struck into 
the brook about two miles above the turnpike, and started to 
wade it down to the road. You know how wild the country 
is there, and how wantonly the brook runs, bending, and wind- 



I50 APPENDIX 

ing, and coquetting with the wintergreen arid cranberry vines 
that fringe its banks; how it is constantly changing its depth, 
and strength, and color, sometimes dashing on, in a narrow 
current not more than three or four feet in width, and curling 
darkly and swiftly around the old stumps that are rotting by 
its edges, and then, at a little distance ofif, spreading free, and 
flowing smooth, to the breadth of twenty yards ; while all the 
way it is overarched, and in some places nearly hidden by the 
intertwined hazel, and alders, and scrub oaks. It is just the 
stream that I should think would captivate a water nymph's 
fancy ; it is so solitary, and quiet, and romantic. You hear 
no noise while you are fishing, save of your own splashing 
footsteps, or the brushed-by, crackling bushes, — scarcely even 
the rushing of the wind, — so deep and thick is the envelopment 
of the woods ; and in wading half a mile, and basketing thirty 
fish, you might think you was alone in the world, if you did not 
now and then startle a thirsty fawn, or a brooding wood-duck. 
Well, I was coming down through a broad, shallow, beautifully 
gravelled bottom, where the water was not more than half- 
way up to my knees, and was just beginning to take more 
stealthy steps, so as to make the least possible noise ( for I was 
approaching a favorite hole), when suddenly I heard what 
seemed to be the voice of a young girl of fifteen or sixteen 
burst out a-singing ahead of me, just around the next bend of 
the brook. 

"I was half frightened to death, for I thought it must be 
some poor mad creature that had escaped from her confine- 
ment ; and in fact I had heard that Rosina — what's her name? 
I forget — had been rather flighty ever since young Jones left 
off paying attentions to her. However, there was no backing 
out for me, now ; nulla vestigia rctrorsum, in the case of a 
woman. Cypress. I was in the scrape: revocare gradum was 
out of the question. So I went ahead softly, and when I got 
to the bend, I put my left eye around the bushes, and looked. 
By all the little fishes, it was a lovely sight ! She was sitting 
upon a hemlock log that had fallen across the brook, with her 
naked feet and legs hanging into the water. There she sat. 



APPENDIX 151 

paddling, and splashing, and combing her long, beautiful, float- 
ing hair, and singing. I was entranced, petrified. She would 
sing a little ballad, and then she'd stop and wring her hands, 
and cry. Then she'd laugh and flirt about her long hair. Then 
again she would look sorrowful, and sigh as though her heart 
would break, and sing her song over again. Presently, she 
bent down to the stream, and began to talk earnestly to some- 
body. I leaned forward to take a look at the stranger, and 
to whom do you think she was talking? It was a trout, a brook 
trout, an old fellow that I have no doubt would have weighed 
full eight pounds. He was floating on the top of the water, 
and dimpling, and springing up about her, as though he, too, 
felt and acknowledged the heavenly influence of her beauty. 
She bent her long fingers, and tickled him upon his back, and 
under his side, and he absolutely jumped through her hands, 
backwards and forwards, as if in a dehrium of frolic. (It was 
by her hands that I knew she was a mermaid. They were 
bluy, and webbed, though not much more than a black-breasted 
plover's feet. There was nothing positively icthyal in their 
formation). After a while she commenced singing again. This 
was a new tune, and most exquisitely sweet. I took out my 
pencil, and wrote down the words of the song, on a blank leaf 
for memoranda, in my fishing book. Shall I repeat them ?" 

"Do it," we all cried out with earnestness. 

"I'll try," said Ned, sighing. "I wish I could sing them. 
They ran somewhat in this way : — 

'Down in the deep, 

Dark holes T keep. 
And there, in the noontide, I float and sleep; 

By the hemlock log. 

And the springing bog. 
And the arching alders I lie incog. 

'The angler's fly 

Comes dancing by, 
But never a moment it cheats my eye; 

For the hermit trout 

Is not such a lout 
As to be by a wading boy pulled out. 



152 APPENDIX 

'King of the brook, 

No fisher's hook 
Fills me with dread of the sweaty cook ; 

But here I lie, 

And laugh, as they try ; 
Shall I bite at their bait? No, no, not I. 

'But when the streams. 
With moonlight beams. 
Sparkle, all silver and starlight gleams, 
Then, then look out 
For the hermit trout ; 
For he springs and dimples the shallows about. 
While the tired angler dreams.' 

"The words are not much ; but O ! how exquisite was 
that music! Cypress. It was like the mellow tone of a soft 
harp!" 

"Jewsharp, ha-a?" accorded long John: "that's a nice kind 
o' music. I'm told they have 'em large, down to York, and 
use 'em in meeten. How'st?" 

"Yes, 'tis so, John, they do. But let me get through with 
my story. After the syren had finished her tune, she began 
playing with her companion again. Thinks I to myself, 'old 
speckled-skin, I should like to have you in my basket: such r. 
reverend old monarch of the brook is not to be caught every 
day in the year. What say you for a fresh worm, this morn- 
ing?' So I shortened my rod, and run it behind me, and let 
the dobber fall upon the water, and float down with the hook 
to the log where the old fellow and the mermaid were disport- 
ing. His love for the lady did not spoil his appetite. He bag- 
ged my worm, and then sprung at my float, and cut. I jerked 
back, and pulled in, and then he broke water and flounced. 
The mermaid saw that he was in trouble, and dashed at my 
line, broke it short off, and then took iip the trout and began 
to disengage the hook from his gills. I had no idea of losing 
my hook and my trout, besides one of Lentner's best leaders 
(that cost me half a dollar), for any woman fishy or fleshy, 
however good a voice she might have. So I broke cover and 
came out. The moment she caught glimpse of me, she 
screamed, and dropped the trout and ran. Did you ever see a 
deer flash through a thicket? She was gone in an instant — 



APPENDIX 153 

"Gone like the lightning, which o'er head 
Suddenly shines, and ere we've s.aid 
Look ! look ! how beautiful ! 'tis tied." 

"Compelled by an irresistible impulse, I pursued. Down the 
brook, and through the brake, we went, leaping, and stooping, 
and turning, and swimming, and splashing, and I, at least a 
half a dozen times, stumbling and falling. It was but at inter- 
vals, as the brook made its longest bends, that I could catch 
a glimpse of the fugitive nymph, and the last time I put my 
eager eye upon her, she had stopped and was looking back, 
with both her hands crossed upon her bosom, panting, and 
apparently exhausted. But as I again broke upon her sight, 
she started and fled. With fresh ardor I pressed on, calling 
to her, and beseeching her to stop. I pleaded, promised, 
threatened, and called the gods to witness that my intentions 
were honorable, and that I would go and ask her mother first 
if she did not live too far off. In the desperation of my 
entreaties I talked a little Latin to her, that came into my head, 
apropos, and which was once used by another *gentleman in a 
similar case of Parthian courtship: — Parthian? — Yes, that is 
a correct word, for, O ! what arrows did the beauty of the 
flying nymph shoot into my soul ! Telling her that she might 
depend upon my honor, and all that, I continued — 

"At bene si noris, pigeat fugisse : morasque 
Ipsa tuas damnes, et me retinere labores — 

that is to say, boys, according to Bishop Heber's translation — 

"If you knew me, dear girl, T am sure you'd not fly me ; 
Hold on half an hour, if you doubt, love, and try me. 

But, alas ! the assurance and the prayer added fresh pinions to 
her wings. She flew, and despairingly I followed, tearing my 
hands and face with the merciless brambles that beset my way, 
until, at last, a sudden turn brought me plump up against the 
bridge upon the turnpike, in the open fields, and tlie mermaid 



♦Polyphem to Gal or Met 13.808. 



154 APPENDIX 

was nowhere to be seen. I got up on the railing of the bridge, 
and sat there weary, wet, and sad. I had lost my fish, left my 
rod a mile off, and been played the fool with by a mongrel 
woman. Hook, fish, leader, heart, and mermaid, were all 
lost to me forever. 'Give me some drink, Titinius,' or Daniel, 
which I take to be the correct English translation. I feel mel- 
ancholy and mad to think of it, even now." 

One More for the Last 

The islands came in sight again, and ho! land! and Ray- 
nor Rock ! 

Glad enough was I to hear our bow grind the sand near 
Raynor's hut, on the evening succeeding our court's last night's 
entertainments. Ned Locus had come in, and Peter Probasco 
was smoking his usual short pipe, and the boys had some fresh 
fish and "things accorden." Zoph and I had had a hard pull, 
and we were bay-salted and shivering, but not so tired as to pre- 
vent us from bringing up a good bunch of brant. More of 
them, and a few of the black ducks, and sheldrakes, and that 
goose, anon. 

''That's a lie, mister, that story you told t'other night. 
Plave my doubts, it's all a lie. Pve said it." — Such was Peter's 
judgment. — "Mr. Locus, you dreamt that sometime or other." 

"Stick it out, Ned," said I, "why the fellow is trying to 
get angry !" and Ned actually had worked himself into such a 
state of feeling, that between the excitement of the story, and 
the soft impeachment of its veracity, and his liquor going 
down the wrong way, his face was suffused, and seven or eight 
globules of eye-water ran a race for the goal of his pea-jacket 
upper button. 

"My friend," he at last rejoined, "you're mighty civil. 
Quite complimentary, forsooth. Do you suppose that I could 
imdertake to coin a story so minute, and particular, and spe- 
cific — so coherent and consistent in all its parts, so supported 
by internal and circumstantial evidence — " 

"So ingeniously stolen from Ovid," interrupted L 

" 'Et tu brute,' Cypress !" 



APPENDIX 



155 



"I make no doubt it's all true, mostly," said Daniel. "I've 
been by the bridge, and seen the place where Mr. Locus sot, 
when he came out." 

"Well, gentlemen, what's the unbelievable part of the 
story ? You don't deny the brook, or doubt its being inhabited 
by mermaids, do you? Then why shouldn't I be as likely as 
anybody else to see one?" 

"Festina lente," cried I. 

"Not so fast, I pray thee," said the quiet Oliver. "I 
admit the brook, but I deny thy eyesight. Thy water-nymph 
lived but in thy brain, she is the offspring of thy dreams only — 
none but pagan priests and poets, and dreamy boys, and Quaker 
sea-captains, have seen the creature of fancy, called a mer- 
maid." 

"Why, Oliver ! you infidel ! Do you deny the Oceanides, 
the Nereides and Naiades, the Limnades and Potamides — " 

"No such families in the island^ d — d if there is," cried 
Peter. 

"Have you never heard of Galatea and Amphitrite, Me- 
lita, and Leucothoe, and Thetis, Calypso, and glorious Are- 
thusa— ?" 

Peter — "Never heard of such people before." 

Oliver — "Vile incarnations — the false deities of the old 
heathen poets. Too much antiquity hath made thee mad. 
Ned, or rather, too much deviltry hath made thee a quiz." 

"He don't quiz me," said Daniel, with a compression of 
his lips that said "I know too much." "I don't know 'bout 
carnations and deities, or old poets, and I reckon I don't 
believe iniquity ever made Mr. Ned Locus mad, but what I 
know I know. Sam Biles is my wife's cousin's aunt's sister's 
brother-in-law, and he's been a sealer. Sam knows. Seals 
is nothen but nigger mermaids, as Silas said last night, or night 
afore. Sam told me he see 'em often together, and the mer- 
maids licked 'em and kicked 'em about jist as they was amind 
to. They caught one one day, but she played the devil among 
the sailors, and the captain chucked her overboard. — Shaa! 



156 APPENDIX 

why Jim Smith see a mermaid once down to Gilgoa inlet, 
riden a sea-horse — don't you b'Ueve it? — ask Jim." 

"Ah! Daniel, Daniel," said Ned, "They're a set of unbe- 
lievers — don't try to persuade them." 

"Shut up. Shut up, boys. Change the subject. Here ; 
will you smoke?" said Raynor, producing some short stub 
pipes, and an old segar-box stuffed with tobacco. 

It has always been our rule that, "when we are at Rome, 
we must do as the Romans do." So, it is to be recorded, that 
we committed, or rather submitted to, that sin. We smoked. 



APPENDIX B 

Stools and Batteries 

sentiment of j. cypress, jr. 

1839 

"Whither, midst falling dew, 
While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, 
Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue 

Thy solitary way!" 

WE wonder if the Poet ever got any answer to 
that question. We will bet a bag of buckshot 
that the water- fowl to whom the interesting 
interrogatory was addressed, was out of sight, 
and out of the sound of its echo, before the spoken sentimen- 
tality ran up against a mark of interrogation. "Whither," aye, 
"whither should a duck go, in the age of percussion caps, bat- 
teries, and patent cartridges? Under what upper cloud may 
"the fowler's eye" mark in "distant flight" his "figure floating," 
"vainly," or without power to do him "wrong" or his fowler 
self, justice? The bird, which the bard apotheosised, must 
have been either close by, or afar off. If he was near, he 
could have been talked to, or shot at, according to the taste of 
the spectator, and there would then have been no gammon 
about "vainly the fowler's eye," if he was too far off, and only 
"painted on the crimson sky," then neither goose-shot nor poet- 
ical questions could have touched a feather on his ear. 

Let us pray to be forgiven by all just admirers of the 
thoughtful music from which we have adopted the entabla- 
ture of our present madness, if we have seemed to borrow, — 
God save the word ! when could we repay ! — steal — look at — 
with any sort of levity, — the choice-culled flowers of phrase 
that sculpture those sweet dreamings of Bryant. They are 

157 



IS8 APPENDIX 

mournful philosophy, reasoning grief, imagination with feet. — 
Sense, heart, mind, flight. That brings us to the subject of 
ducks. 

Talk of "flights," and you will remember straightway old 
Drayton : — 

"The duck and mallow first the falconer's only sport, 
Of river flights the chief," — 

Permit us, dear reader, to call your attention, for a few 
moments, to the flight of the mallard, or shoveller — which, we 
know not — in the precedent picture. If thou art blind, yet 
hast shot heretofore, know that the engraving exhibits, water, 
sky, bushes, hassocks, two ducks in trouble, a boat, one man 
with a setting pole, and another with a gun, in the bow. If 
thou BE blind, thou hast not lost much, for we do not hold the 
picture dearly. Two very-gentle-men have come out, at three 
hours after sunrise, to shove for crippled birds of any nation 
or species, black or white, infidel or christian, grasseater or 
crabcannibal. They are of the class of people who take their 
comfort while they shoot. Their clothes are accurate and 
comely fits. The gentlemen with the pole, shoves with his 
coat on, buttoned up. Doubtless, they will knock over the 
invalid who flutters in the rear. It will be a merciful certainty, 
if the shooter stands firm, and holds right. The wounded one 
winnows the air weakly. Those birds had flown to the up- 
gushing fountains of the fresh meadows, and the healing creek- 
greens, to cure their stricken pinions, and sides sore with lead 
spent to sting them, in the lower bays ; — not killed, but fever- 
ish after a hard experimental blow, struck by some patient 
point-shooter, who had begun to be tired of waiting for a com- 
pany to wheel up nearer to his stool. That wooden parallelo- 
gram, called a scow, chiefest for a trout-pond, cannot accom- 
plish an original death ; — unless a spring of teal, or a river 
broadbill, lie in close security behind some straggling patch of 
rushes, in the direct track of the intended water road. Yet let 
us not do injustice to the pretty picture. It shews, how, in a 
quiet way, a lover of pure air and kaleidiscopical colors, may 



APPENDIX 159 

float down an ebbing stream, through channel-enclosing bushes, 
and sedges trespassing upon the ancient but diminishing 
dominion of the river gods, and suddenly startle from his 
falsely imagined safety, some unfortunate speculator in water- 
weeds, who thought his weak or shattered fortune would be 
made sound and fat by "going in." One of these ducks is 
clearly "lame." The other looks as though he was taking the 
benefit of the wild- fowl absent debtor act. — (That act dif- 
fers from the enactment of the human New York Legislature, 
in one peculiar respect. In the one case, if the fowl owes you 
any feathers, or flesh, and can get out of your jurisdiction — 
or rather Collineo diction — he is safe ; and may grant, bargain, 
sell, devise, bequeath, and run away from, all and singular his 
right, title, principal and interest in and to, and so forth, his 
temporary home and feeding spots. In the other case, the 
Sheriff is apt to form a strong attacJiment for the feeding 
places and singular chattels of the abscondant, and hold on io 
them, against his assignee, with a love "passing the love of 
women.") — The gentlemen have made a call upon him: but 
he is "out," — out of reach. Whither is thy flight, good fowl? 
Of what shell-bank wert thou cashier? "Whither, midst fall- 
ing due" notes, of which (knowing thy business place, and full 
of trust), we thought we held the substance? — Thou art 
lost, gone, etherealized, silvered over with a cloudy dinner set, 
and wilt set thy table in other waters! 

"Yes, thou hast vanished, singing, from our sight ! 

So, must this earth be lost to eyes of thine : 
Around thee is illimitable light. 

Thou lookest down, and all appears to shine 
Bright as above ! Thine is a glorious way. 
Pavilioned all around with golden spreading day." 

How crippled fowl will ^Biddleizc and ^Swartwoiitizc, and 
make the fowlers who are after them d — n their eves! 



fNicholas Biddle was president of Bank of United States, Phila- 
delphia, 1829. It went out of existence in 1836. 

§John Swartwout was director of Manhattan Bank, New York, 
1802. He fought a duel with DeWitt Clinton, July 30, 1802. Robert 
Swartwout fought a duel with Richard Riker in 1802. 



i6o APPENDIX 

"The pale purple even 

Melts around thy flight ; 
Like a star of heaven 
In the broad day light, 

Thou art unseen, and yet I hear thy shrill delight."' 
No matter. There are ducks enough left, not so flighty, and 
with whom we can, easier, talk, in plain sight. Who doubts 
the assertion? If it be he who goes to Audubon's exhibition, 
and judges from that heterogeneous mixture of fish, flesh, 
and Indian sculls, what the glorious bays of Malowacs* can 
produce, in this present, existing November, of Anseric and 
Anatic providence ; or he who tries to assimilate or to recon- 
cile the classifications of the proudest ornithological gram- 
marians — Latham — Buffon — Bewick — Wilson — Audubon — and 
all the rest, — into any sort of society, of which the members 
may be identified by some possible nomenclature without an 
alias, or without a doubt expressed as to their family title; — 
men that call the American gander "Anas Canadiensis," in- 
stead of "Anser," forgetting those Roman "hawnkers," worthy 
of a classic name, who saved the empire treasury from the 
rapacious Gauls ; — then, we pray thee, friend, come with us, 
and look at the streaming squadrons, crucking, quacking, 
whistling and perutting in the Great South bay of Long Island. 
The most accurate images, — and those of Audubon — bird 
Prometheus — almost live, are faint copies of the rushing glor- 
ies of the bay. No one can paint like Goddess Nature. Break 
thy pallet, tear thy canvas, thou mortal who dare presume. 

Knowest thou Jim Smith? — James X. Smith, — called by 



*For the best history of Matowacs, or, as it is generally called, 
"the State of Long Island," see the comprehensive, minute, and ex- 
cellent book of B. F. Thompson, Esq., lately published. No islander, or 
island-frequenter, has his library complete without it. There is hardly 
an inhabitant of the three counties, unless he be very insignificant, who 
cannot find out in this accurate Register of things public and private, 
who his great-grandfather was,— which is a great thing, now-a-days, 
to know, — or who of the family were indicted for witchcraft, or whipped 
for theft, or promoted to the ermine; and where they lie, and what 
their epitaphs were. It is a book meritorious in another respect: it not 
only compromises the annals of private families, but of concurrent pub- 
lic actions. There is timber enough in it to build twenty literary edi- 
fices. Friend, try to get a copy of it. Buy, don't borrow. 



APPENDIX i6i 

judicious distinction from some rascals, who, by paternal 
authority, have stolen his name, James Xcnophon Smith? — 
Illustrious cognomen ! — worthily won ; as every angler well 
appreciates, who has perused the map of his "Anabasis" to 
Stephe. Sweesy's pond, and has moralized over the stumps 
where Jim and we once pitched our tents, long, long before 
"Yorkers" found out that trout floated there, and before Jim 
X. had learned that he could make monies out of frail tra\- 
elling nature, by building a good ice-house near "The Sports- 
man's Hotel." James X. Smith's biography is yet to be 
written. He lives now, and we introduce him briefly. Ample 
provision will, unquestionably, be made in his will, for his 
eulogist. We name James X. as being the fortunate proprie- 
tor of one of the chiefly selected stopping haunts, and sallying 
ports, of all shooting visitors of Matowacs. You cannot mis- 
take his house, if you hold up at the sign-post at the corner 
of Jerusalem lane and the South turnpike. It is a pious 
neighborhood. The name gives you confidence in that truth. 
Babylon, the mother of miscellaneous people, is nine miles 
farther east. 

But what changing panoramas of vocal regiments of air- 
climbers will you not see shifting, with their living paintings, 
all singing in their own particular crochets, when you go out,, 
in the early morning, striking the sleeping inlets with your 
oar, before the sun has waked up ! Will you look into Wilson 
for an enumeration, or gloat over Audubon ? Yet neither they, 
nor Bonaparte have told the names (for they never had their 
acquaintance), of all their familiar varieties. Probably the 
families have intermarried and crossed the breed, since those 
authors wrote, and new baptisms are to be sprinkled. Wilson 
was certainly never on Matowacs. He shot his own acquired 
specimens, at Egg Harbor and Cape May. The rest were sent 
to him^ with an eel-spears-man's description, which he trans- 
lated. 

We are not learned, nor critical, which latter we might be 
without being instructed ; but every bayman on Long Island, 
to whom you would read the ill-arranged ordines, genera, and 

13 



i62 APPENDIX 

species, of Wilson, translating the Latin to him, and putting 
it into honest South-side dialect, would say "Pshaw! he hasn't 
got down one-half the difTerent kinds of broadbill, — let alone 
other salt-water birds who hold their public meetuigs on our 
marshes!" But even in Wilson, you find twenty-odd enumera- 
tions of feather-floaters, who either strut by their own domi- 
ciles, or, occasionally, call in at the Squaw Islands, Linus' 
Island, or Wanzas flat, and are ready for the reception of vis- 
itors, who come in the shape of Youle's No. 3. 

Let us take a skiff and put out and bless the abundance. 
It is three o'clock A. M. If thou art cold, and last night, 
slept too little (for reasons, which as a dear friend, loving thy 
usual abstinence, and chastising thee by silence, rather than 
by unnecessary recapitulation, we forebear to hint at), lie 
down in the bottom of the boat, in the dry salt-meadow grass 
which thy man will fix for thee, with thy head upon an air- 
cushion resting upon the bow-head, and sleep. Sleep ! when 
birds are swimming in the skiff's pathway, and ducks quack, 
and brant cronk, and broad bill prut about thee? No: thy 
polar or oarsman, even if he had not read Shakespeare, would 
soon cry out to you "Sleep no more," — or else, "Mister, I 
reckon there's fowl ahead — close by — take them as they rise." 

Such a heart-stirrer and ambition-provoker, puts you on 
your knees, and you will try to see through the dark. How 
queer! we bend our bodies upon our knees when we pray to 
be saved ; and yet we often kneel, in the same way, to destroy 
ducks! When are our prayers most earnest? — Don't think of 
it. Knees have dangerous associating reflections. 

But you will by-and-by arrive at some jutting point, or 
thatchy island, where you may lie securely hid, wrapped up in 
the warm envelopments of sedge-grass and your overall, and 
wait for the peeping daylight to set the various tribes of ducks 
to their works of travel and diving. Happy wretches ! who 
have nothing to do but to fly, and to feed, and be loved, and 
shot, — killed without notice, without lingering sickness, or 
surgical torment. Yet they, many of them, have their ails, and 
aches ; and the inexperienced amateur, shooting when they 



APPENDIX 163 

fly in his eyes, and the old leather-head batterer straining a 
broken mttsket at a distance immeasurable but by a fowl, has 
planted many a shot-wound needlessly, by accident, in the side 
of a straggler, or luck-loser of the flock. 

But thou art at thy hiding-place now, and thy poler — 
polar star of thy existence, if thou knowest not the road, and 
how to pull, and he fall overboard, — is setting out his stools. 

If thou be inexperienced, thou mayest look into all the 
dictionaries that have ever been collated, and we hold the last 
(Richardson's, the poorest, and a great humbug, yet it comes 
nearer to our taste in its illustration of this word), and thou 
wilt not learn what the sporting meaning of "stool" is. To 
save the trouble of distant reference and inquiry, we will there- 
fore certify and explain that "stools," in shooting phraseology, 
are graven images made in the likeness of geese, brant, and 
ducks, before which the hassock-skulking adventurer bows 
down and worships — not the graven images — but the provi- 
dence that permits the living squadrons at whom he shoots, to 
be cheated by the false colors which he has hung out, to per- 
suade them to come in. How many — many — honorable vil- 
lains, might be indicted for obtaining ducks under "false pre- 
tences." The district attorney of Queen's might soon make 
his fortune, if he would only do his duty. Stools, to talk plain 
American, are wooden devices of the shape, size, and com- 
plexion of the fowl you wish to subduce from the upper air. 
Sculptor and painter are employed in their manufacture. Jim 
X. Smith's boys unite and body forth the sister arts. Let 
them set out a congregation of stool for thee, and thou wilt 
for ten minutes cry out "there's a bird," fast as guns can be 
reloaded, and shoot every stool to pieces. The old man, him- 
self, was not slow at sculpture. We remember one April day 
— (it was the first, and the old man wanted his revenge on us 
for some innocent devil-play), — when lying in Goose-Creek, 
after sheldrakes, Jim suddenly got up, and wrapping his pea- 
coat around him, stepped from the boat to the marsh, and said 
"he believed he'd take a walk, and see if there wasn't any 
black ducks sitting in that pond down there," — somewhere. 



i64 APPENDIX 

He went. After a quarter of an hour's travel he returned, 
and with all the solemnity of a regular cheater, observed that 
"he reckoned he see a crippled faawl sittin down on the 
edge of that are pint." "I'll go after him,'' exclaimed our 
companion, who had in the meantime, with poor luck like our 
own, called to give us a visit of condolence, in another skiff. 
"No, no ;" cried the excellent Jim X., "I want that fowl in 
our boat. I found him first, and Mr. Cypress is entitled to 
the shot. You can come along, and if he misses, you can kill 
after him." And so we went — slop, sink, stick, jump, through 
and over a wet, soft meadow. At last we heard the welcome 
intelligence, — "Stop, Mr. Cypress, there he is: don't you see 
him? — just a leetle north-east of that bunch of bushes on the 
edge of the bank ?" We looked : there he was. 

"Jim, that's a dead bird. He can't rise." 

"Yes, he can ; and if you don't shoot it sittin, he'll tumble 
off into the water, and dive, and there'll be an end of him. 
Shoot, shoot, and if he rises take him with the other barrel ; 
stand ready, Mr. B ." 

We shot. The bird sat and grinned at us. 

"You've killed him — you've killed him, cried Jim, — "don't 
shoot your other barrel." 

It is not a great grief to renew ; but we had rather tell the 
story ourselves : and it was April day, and it was James X, 
So we went and picked up our game, one of his aforesaid 
stools, which he had privately secreted under the folds of his 
great coat, and carried out to help the solemnization of 
April-fool day, in the South bay. We have not had our re- 
venge yet. James X. is wary, and moves out of the country on 
the last day of March. But retribution is in pickle for him ; 
and it will be funny. 

This simple incident in our biography illustrates the sub- 
ject of stools. They are miserable wooden pictures of bay 
birds, whose distant view brings enchantment to the living 
jaunters, when they dip in here, and who are apt to look at 
the arrival-book of the public places of "entertainment for 
ducks," and stop where their friends are ; and will, of course, 



APPENDIX 



i'J5 



call in and say they're "happy to see them." Alas! how many 
credulous, runined hearts, of human structure, have been 
pierced, and stricken, bleeding, by a similar profession of fond 
love, and good feeding-ground ! The stools are anchored oflf, 
some twenty or thirty yards, held safely by a brick or angular 
stone, tied to a string attached to a nail driven in their middle, 
and there they float, like independent slaves tied to their desk 
or counter, bobbing up and down and looking "happy — very 
happy," but yet unable to take the wings of the morning, or 
of the moonlight, and to fly away. The fresh flocks just 
arriving, and not knowing where to go, following example, as 
they imagine, whirl, with congratulatory clang, into the ex- 
pected welcome of their fancied neighbors, only to be met by 
the rough, harsh, remorseless bang, hang, with which "the 
obtainer of ducks under false pretences," lies hiding to destroy 
them. 

They used to have another device "down East" called 
"machines." Dannel Post, Ike Rose, and the Alibi's, were, if 
not the inventors, at all events, the constant practisers and 
mechanists, in the time of the prevailing architecture to which 
we refer. Let no man flatter himself that that order of art 
is beneath his notice. The genius of the structure itself sneers 
at the Corinthian, speaks with cold respect to the Doric, and 
calls itself the Colline-onatic. But those old batteries are decay- 
ing ; for the Legislature has enacted a law, forbidding worship 
in such temples. ^General Jones, of Queen's, Senator and 
nobleman, noble-man, as a Republican could wish to be, takes 
the responsibility of the constitutionality of the imposed pen- 
alty. Fifty dollars for every bird shot out of a battery! All 
honor to him if the law can be enforced. Whether it be a law 
just and sustainable upon the ground of "equal rights," or the 
"sumptuary" prerogatives of law-making power, we have not 
yet made up our conclusion. Our judgment is only doubtfully 
retained, having been spoken to on both sides, without an ad- 



*Henry O. Floyd-Jones. 



i66 APPENDIX 

vanced fee from either; therefore, we decline being anxious 
to precipitate an opinion. 

We must confess, however, that, personally, we have lain 
in those coffins, not dead, nor dying, but the cause of death in 
many two-legged people with feathers on. But we have always 
had doubts about the morality — the mor — what ! — what is 
morality, as applied to ducks? A duck's safety lies in his wings 
and feet, not in acts of the Legislature. He can spring yards 
enough, at a single leap, to cheat his enemies ; fly two miles in 
a minute, to overtake his friends ; and dive, and scramble, and 
hide, better than the cunningest Seminole. Yet, perhaps, our 
ducks need protection. Perhaps we ought to repair our house, 
and make things comfortable, or the tenants will move away. 
There is a great deal in that consideration. Years ago, the 
southern bays of Matowacs were brilliant with sparkling plum- 
age, and bright eyes of birds of every hue and shape. Now ! — 
Look for the intended progenitors of a "long line of descend- 
ants," in the kitchens of people who go to Fulton Market. The 
marshes which were joyfully obstreperous, even in summer, are 
now silent. The banquet halls of the feeding-flats are deserted. 
Instead of taking board, or hiring a house and lot, and making 
themselves comfortable, as in old times; the ducks, now, are 
only travellers, who just stop and take a drink, where they see 
the proper sort of bar. It is natural, and therefore excusable, 
that they stop at those Hotels where they see the most people 
congregated : for a congregation argues good patronage ; and 
good patronage argues good beverage. 

This brings us back to the subject of machines. A ma- 
chine, or battery, is a wooden box of the necessary dimensions 
to let a man lie down upon his back, just tightly fitting enough 
to let him rise again. — (It is not unlike that box which we 
have all got to be shut up in at the end of the chapter of our 
lives). It is fitted with wings of board horizontal, and so 
sustained and nailed as to lie flat upon the water without sink- 
ing, the top fringing, and the sides keeping you unwet by the 
surrounding and over-floating tide, which gurgles around your 
ears, and just does not come in, because the weight of stones 



APPENDIX 167 

laid upon the wings, accurately adjusts the sinking depth of the 
box. This receptacle for the body of the fowl slayer, is 
anchored in some middle bay, where in its shallow waters, the 
birds have a "haunt," and fly to feed upon the thick-growing 
crops of Valisneria, and other goodly sea- wheat, far from any 
point or plashy hassock, where, with their constant experience, 
they might fear some skulker hid. The battery is anchored. 
The wings, about five feet by seven, are covered carefully with 
sand and carelessly scattered sea-leaves, and there is thus built 
an artificial sand-bar in the middle of the wide, and to the 
credulous victim, seemingly safe, bay. You get into this ma- 
chine, and lie down and watch. Your man disposes the stool- 
birds to your leeward, and sails away to stir up flocks miles 
ofT, and drive them towards you, leaving you in the waste of 
waters, where a little leak might sink and anchor you at the 
bottom, — fun for ducks to dive and flop at, — to lie, cheat, 
counterfeit, and kill. That is "shooting out of a machine." 
The new arrivers coming in from sea, see the supposed happy 
family you have around you, afar ofif, and set their willing 
wings, fatigued with long exertion, and come, cruckmg musical 
"good mornings," among your false masques. Then, then ! — 
as they swoop in thick company before they settle, — you rise 
from under the water, like a sudden demon, and scatter thun- 
der and lightning and death among the deceived and ruined 
imfortunates ! 

Plant these machines all along the southern coast of Mato- 
wacs, from Gowanas bay to Montauck point, and can any man 
wonder that James X. (who hasn't got any proper spot to set 
out a battery), should sometimes say that "ducks is scace?" 

Mercy on us! we came near expressing an opinion! But 
we are not committed. And lo! we have prosed a long half 
hour, almost, and have not said a word we intended to. Dear 
reader, we will usurp no more. Talk, now, thyself. 



i68 APPENDIX 

Note 

The writer when a boy, say from 1846 to 1851, well re- 
members *Jim Smith and his hotel. Directly opposite on the 
east corner of Jersusalem Road was a general country store 
which was operated by members of the Jerusalem Quaker 
family of Joneses, subsequently run by Samuel and John Post 
from Jerusalem. The bar at Jim Smith's was quite unique. 
It was crescent shaped and fully five and one half feet in 
height, so that no one could lean upon it or hardly look over 
it. A shelf ran around the inside part of the top which was 
wide enough to hold some glasses, a bottle, and a pitcher of 
water. I stopped at this place many many times when out 
driving with my grandfather before 1851. My honored an- 
cestor, after whom I was named, and who was the owner of 
Brick House brook, always drove a good horse, and when on 
the road would generally make this spot one of his stopping 
places. On driving up to the stoop. Uncle Jim would come 
out, and after passing the time of day, would say, "General, 
what will you have?" The reply to this question was ,"Well, 
Jim, you may give me a little gin and sugar." I would here 
say that my grandfather got the gin and I got the sugar. After 
a while some of the gentry of the county or contiguous one 
of Suflfolk, would drive up, and a drink or two more was par- 
taken of, after which the respective ones would make a start 
east for home. You may rest assured that it was a brush the 
whole distance. While I hung on to the seat of the buggy, 
my grandsire would manipulate the reins, as he was very 
proficient in this regard, and we were not the last one in the 
crowd when Fort Neck, my ancestral home, was reached. 
The mare that he drove was a chestnut blaze face bobtail. She 
had been nicked and docked in our own barn and was a 
beautiful animal. Her name was Kate. She had quite a little 



*The author attended school with Jim Smith's two sons at the old 
school house on the turnpike nearly opposite the old hotel. Jerusalem 
South in 1849. The teacher's name was Walworth. He would send 
a boy down to the adjacent swamp to cut a gad (whip) and then lace 
him with it on his return. 




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APPENDIX 169 

speed, and at the owner's demise in 185 1, she was retained by 
his only daughter. I drove her many times, and also rode her 
under saddle. 

Mr. Cypress died in 1841. Relative to the mermaid story 
so ably portrayed by him I would say that the episode was 
supposed to have happened before David S. Jones dug out for 
the Massapequa Lake, and put up the long earthwork dam in 
1836-37 that exists at the present time, both of which are now 
owned by the Brooklyn Water Works, having been acquired 
by them from the progenitor of the present owners of the 
Massapequa House and lands, the House having been erected 
at the same time when the Lake was made. If I remember 
rightly, my father gave me to understand that the turnpike 
road as now constituted, which runs in front of the large lawn 
of the old mansion, and then west over the big bridge, which 
spans the Fluent and parallel with the south side of the high 
embankment, which dammed up the brook, thereby forming 
the big Lake, was the creation of David S. Jones, which was 
planned by him so as to form a large lawn in front of his new 
house. Both visible at this date, 1914. Now at this late year 
of my life, scenes come back to me very plainly, discernible in 
my boyhood days, so I can imagine that the new road began 
at a point about one hundred feet west of the southwest corner 
of Grace churchyard, Massapequa, running directly west, close 
to where the old Brick House stood, (torn down in 1836) or 
really over its site, or running through the garden and orchard 
adjoining the old house. In fact several apple or pear trees 
have existed for many years on the spot, really locating where 
the old house stood. Then continuing past the pond described 
in the foregoing to the west, passing the old family graveyard 
West Neck, within twenty-five to fifty feet of the graves of 
Mr. Jones' father, who was interred here November, 1819, and 
his grandfather, August, 1779, connecting a short distance 
west with the old turnpike which passed in front of the ancient 
William Jones' house at West Neck, erected 1733-35. which 
was the birth place and ancestral home of David S. Jone.s. 
The house and graveyard are still in existence. Family grave- 



170 APPENDIX 

yards were not located in those days directly on the great high- 
way, as this one appeared after the new road was laid out, all 
of which is plainly discernible to a passer-by at the present 
time. They were placed in some obscure part of the estate, 
where it was not likely to be molested by posterity, except 
without a good motive in their behalf, and especially by any act 
of their own kin and blood. This old graveyard most likely 
was originally laid out in 1779, one half to one acre in extent, 
evidently at a location quite a little distance south of the 
original old turnpike road. Its projectors never for a moment 
conceived the idea that a new turnpike would ever have been 
compiled so as to be directly adjacent to same. 

Now from the mermaid legend I am enabled to strongly 
draw upon my imagination as to the locality of the old road 
where it ran to, before being deflected at the point referred 
to in front of the church yard. It likely ran a shade north- 
west right in front of the old schoolhouse where the writer 
attended school 1845-47, then to the west over land. That 
was subsequently (1847-48) taken in and made part of the old 
Massapequa Race Track. Continuing west from there on a 
line say one hundred feet from the Big House to the Brick 
House Brook, where it crossed the bridge (as described in 
the mermaid narration) that spanned the stream, which he so 
ably describes as having followed. I can well remember seeing 
the big lake, which with the brook covers over one hundred 
acres of land, entirely denuded of water, so that you could 
walk across to Marys Island, located off the west shore. Now 
in the centre of the lake, winding toward the east, about 
opposite the big house above referred to. coursed the channel 
of the brook, over which a bridge had been erected, and when 
the water was out of the lake, this bridge was plainly visible. 
I crossed it many times in my early days. This bridge was 
never removed during the incumbency of the original, or family 
owners of same, anyway prior to the years 1854 to 57. When 
the lake filled up again, it entirely overflowed the bridge, the 
water at that point being fully five feet in depth. After 
crossing the old structure, the original road ran directly west, 



APPENDIX i;i 

passing the Jones (West Neck) homestead, which faced it. 
This record may be of great interest to old Queens County 
residents, as well as to those who are the present owners of the 
property. Although drawn fairly clear, it is for the most part 
imaginative. I will here end this part of my notes by saying 
that the last trout caught by me in the Massapequa lake was 
a "corker," so termed in the vernacular of the natives. It 
weighed just three pounds. I never heard of one being caught 
in my day out of the Long Island trout ponds that weighed 
as much as this one did. This catch was in the fall of 185 1 or 
the spring of 1852, and I hooked him directly over this old 
submerged bridge on the east side of the lake, trolling from a 
row boat. 

Referring to the old Baymen, Uncle John Verity, Oba- 
diah Verity, John Alibi and Parmenus Raynor (Venus), the 
first one of this combination was very highly respected, and in 
185 1 when General Thomas Floyd-Jones died, his children 
presented a knife which was greatly prized by the old pos- 
sessor, having in it over thirty different parts, to Uncle John as 
a token of their esteem for him, and in memory of his old 
friend, their father. The writer was a witness of ihis presen- 
tation, which occurred late in 1851. 

Now as to Obadiah Verity, who was called "Diah." The 
characteristic part of h.is make up was demonstrated by his 
slowness of articulating when conversing, and one of the inci- 
dents told of him manifested this idiosyncrasy in the plainest 
manner, it being related by a member of the family who witness- 
ed the occurrence, or by the participant, who thought it a good 
joke upon himself. I likely heard of this incident fully sixty- 
five years ago. The other member of the case beside the 
redoubtable Diah was the Honorable David S. Jones, who was 
a son of Judge Samuel Jones, Recorder of New York, 1789, who 
was styled Father of the New York Bar, and brother of Major 
William Jones of Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, previously 
referred to in these chapters where horses are the prominent 
or distinctive part thereof. David S. Jones was quite a prom- 
inent man in his day. He was Corporation Counsel of New 



172 APPENDIX 

York in 1812-13, and at one time, 1797, private secretary to 
Governor John Jay. His city home was number 2 P>ond Street. 
In appearance he was called a handsome man, being very par- 
ticular in his apparel, in fact quite an exquisite. He was mar- 
ried three times, his last wife being a daughter of Governor De- 
Witt Clinton. *He took quite a part, a prominent one, in the 
duel which occurred in 1802 between George L. Eacker and 
Philip Hamilton, residents of New York, being the latter's 
second. The trouble which brought on the duel originated at 
the Park Theatre, where Mr. Eacker imagined that Hamilton 
and his friends were making him a subject of ridicule, which 
was resented by his sending a challenge to young Hamilton, 
who was son of Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treas- 
ury. Hamilton accepted same with alacrity and immediately 
sent for David S. Jones to act as his second. The duel took 
place at Weehawken in New Jersey and Hamilton was hit by a 
ball, which went through his right side, passed through his 
body, and lodged in his arm. He died July 23, 1802. While 
residing in his summer residence at Massapequa, a beach part}' 
would be projected by some of the neighboring families, Mr. 
Jones being an invited guest, and Diah V'erity being employed 
by them to sail the boat, as he knew every channel, sand bar 
and current in the Bay. While on one of these excursions, 
likely over to Gilgo, Mr. Jones very indiscreetly stood upon the 
gunwale of the sail boat, at which moment D^ah deemed it 
advisable to make a turn, so in his drawling manner of speecli, 
he lets out "Mistarr Joones weare goin' tew gybe." Before 
he got as far as going, he swung the tiller over, and around came 
the boat and over came the boom, knocking Mr. fones over- 
board. Surely he was hopping mad at his dilemma, and when 
he got in the boat again, being an adept swimmer, he gave it to 
Diah in a most classical manner, likely with a few adjectives 
thrown in on the side to make it more expressive, telling him 
that next time he wanted to gybe, to kindly commence his dis- 
course half an hour before he proposed to begin his act. As a 



*In the work "History of City of New York" by Mrs. Martha J. 
Lamb and Mrs. Burton Harrison. 



APPENDIX 173 

boy I heard Diah express himself many times, and I always 
felt like saying "spit it out Diah." 

David S. Jones died in East Fifteenth Street, New York, 
May 10, 1848, his remains being interred in St. Marks Church- 
yard in the Bowery. 

Old slobbering Scudder was another character of the 
times, who might be termed a "Genus Hobby." He was a ped- 
dler of North Carolina sweet potatoes some months in the year. 
These were considered quite a luxury, as none of them were 
grown on Long Island. Scudder would procure his wagon load 
at Brooklyn, and sell them as he meandered along the road, so 
that by the time he reached South Oyster Bay, his load was 
quite depleted. But if he only had a half peck left in the cor- 
ner of the bottom of his wagon, he would still continue to call 
out "Swit, Swit, Swit potaters dam it" with the saliva pouring 
out both sides of his toothless mouth, and in other months he 
would peddle hard clams, by beginning to call out in a low 
voice one-quarter of a mile from any house, "Clic, Clic, Clic, 
Clic," his voice gradually increasing in volume, and by the time 
he got to the front gate the last "Clic" could be heard and 
"Clams dam it" come out in a sonorous cadenza. 

On a *muster roll of a company of detached militia under 
the command of Captain Thomas Floyd-Jones in the Second 
Regiment of New York State Infantry, commanded by Colonel 
Daniel Bedell from the second of September, 1814, to the 
eighteenth day of October, 1814, and the fifteenth of Novem- 
ber, 1814, to the twenty-eighth of November, 1814, at Fort 
Green, Brooklyn, the following names are inscribed : 

John Verity, James Smith,, 

Obadiah Verity, James X. Smith. 

Full description of FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS which 
follow this folio: 



*Presented by the author of this book June 10, 1901, to the Delan- 
cey Floyd-Jones Library, Massapcqua, Long Island. 



174 APPENDIX 

FIRST — A Copy of the Original Patent issued by Colonial 
Governor Edmond Andros sptli September, 16/ y, to 
Inhabitants of the Town of Oyster Bay, Long Island, 
Granting and Confirming all Deeds made to them from 
the Indians. 
SECOND — A Copy of the Original Patent issued by Colonial 
Governor Richard Nicolls jrd, November, 1666, to 
Inhabitants of the Town of Huntington, Long Island. 
Granting and confirming all Deeds made to them from 
the Indians. Copied 3rd August, 1769, and signed 
vS. Bayard D. Secy. 
THIRD — A Copy of the Original Patent issued by Colonial 
Governor Dongan 2nd of August, 1688, to Inhabitants 
of the Town of Huntington, Long Island, Granting and 
Confirming all Deeds made to them from the Indians. 
FOURTH — A Copy of the Original Patent issued by Colonial 
Governor Richard Nicolls 5th of October, 1694, to In- 
Copied igth June, lyyi, and Signed 6". Bayard 
Granted by William and Mary. 
Copied loth June, i^/i, and Signed 5". Bayard, 
D. Secy. 
Sanniel Bayard, Jr., was Colonial Deputy Secretary ijSg- 
/i. His signature is a very peculiar one on these Copies, 
showing that he spelled his surname Bauyard, and the last 
letter D a capital, serving for last letter in his name as well as 
D. Secy (see illustration). 

These Relic Manuscripts are owned personally by the 
author, being his heirlooms, the Oyster Bay Patent being 2^/ 
years old, and one of Huntington 2.^8 years old ; the others 
of Huntington 226 and 220 years old rcspectiz'cly. 

The Copy of the Original Patents were made 14^ to 7^5 
years ago at a tirhe about 17/ 1, when the Town of Oyster Bay 
had the great Law-suit with Jackson and Jones families, as 
to the ownership of the meadozv lands on the south side of 
the Great South Bay of Long Island opposite Jerusalem South 
and Fort Neck, extending to the ocean, which included Gilgo 
Inlet, Wanzas Flats and Jones' Beach. The contents of these 





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APPENDIX 175 

documents was very likely utilized as evidence conclusive, the 
suit thereby being decided in favor of the latter, viz : Jack- 
sons and Joneses, by the Supreme Court of the Colony. 

The Oyster Bay Patent also covers in its environs Hicks- 
ville, Salisbury Plains Race Track, Cold Spring Harbor and 
Beach on the north, and Jerusalem south, Fort Neck, 
South Oyster Bay, Brick House Brook and Massapequa Trot- 
ting Track on the south. 

The Huntington Patents in their territory include in same 
Babylon and Fire Island. 

On folio 215, referring to old bridges and new turnpike 
roads at Fort Neck, it is expressed as being for the most part 
imaginative. But the Illustrated Copy of Original Patents of 
Oyster Bay and Huntington, Long Island, are not a product 
of the author's conception, but the actual evidence of what 
they profess to prove beyond the possibility of doubt. 

THE END. 



INDEX 

A 

A Week at the Fire Islands 141 

A. A. Low, packet-ship 8 

Aaron Burr, horse 66 

Abbey, Henry E., theatrical manager 88, 108 

Abbott, Emma, opera singer 103 

Abdallah, horse (John Tredwells) 112 

.^beels Iron Yard, N. Y 29 

Academy of Music, N. Y 61, 87, 103 

Academy of Music, Brooklyn 88, 89 

Ackerman, Gunther K., Brooklyn 34 

Adams & Colt, murder case, N. Y 52 

Adams Express Company, N. Y 49 

Adams, John T., cotton broker, N. Y 25 

Adams Street, Brooklyn 83 

Adams Union, haberdasher, N. Y 55 

Adees, Hunts Point, N. Y 123 

Admiral 61 

Adriatic, steamship 13 

Africa, steamship 14 

Aiken, Frank E., actor 33 

Aiken, George L., dramatist 33 

Alabama, steamship 14 

Albany, N. Y 9, 15, 34, 47, 89, 112 

Albany Girl, mare 65 

Albany Steamboats 15 

Albany Street 126 

Albert Gallatin, packet-ship 8 

Aldine, mare 96, 118 

Alexander's, Dr., Presbyterian Church, N. Y 133 

Alexandria, Virginia 51 

Alibi 140, 152, 171 

177 
14 



178 INDEX 

Alibis 165 

Alice Price, steamboat 123 

Alix, mare 94 

Alixe, comedy 106 

Allen Brothers, hotel and bar saloon 97 

Allen C. Leslie, actor 33 

Allen Mart, saloon keeper 97 

Allen, The, saloon keeper 97 

Allen Street, N. Y 47, 56 

Allerton & Co., hog slaughterers 11 

Alley, George, stock broker, N. Y 20, 82 

Allright, Japanese acrobat 62 

All Souls, Unitarian Church, 4th Ave. & 20th St., N. Y.. . 134 

Alsop & Co., shipping merchants, N. Y 8 

Amboy, New Jersey 61 

Amelung & Co., J. A., N. Y., provisions 10 

America, United State 2, 24, 25, 54, 59, 63, 64, 69 

American 163 

American Actresses 60 

American Actor no 

American Company, steamships 13 

American Eclipse, horse 81 

American Flag 63, 124 

American Gander 160 

American Girl, mare 81, 91 

American House, Hotel Babylon, L. 1 123 

American House, Brooklyn 83 

American Marine Insurance Companies, N. Y 24 

American Museum, "l)arnum's," N. Y 32 

American Native 98 

American News Comi)any, N. Y 49 

American Star, horse 81 

American Steamer Agents 12 

American Surety Company, N. Y 28 

American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine 86 

Americans 32 

Americans, Native 124, 129 



INDEX 179 

Americus, horse 66 

Amity Street, N. Y 36, 54, 55 

Amity Street, Brooklyn 10, 135 

Amityville, L. 1 82 

Amity Hose Co., No. 38, N. Y. Fire Dept., Volunteers. . . 36 

Amos Street:, N. V 63, 132 

Amphitrite 155 

Amsinck & Co., L. E., importers, N. Y 8 

Anabasis 161 

Anas Canadiensis 160 

Anatic 160 

Anderson, John, tobacco, N. Y 28 

Anderson, Robert, Major U. S. Army at Fort Sumter. . . 15 

Anderson, Thomas, Rev. Dr., First Baptist Church, N. Y. . 134 

Andrews, Proprietor Fifth Ave stage line, N. Y 42 

Andros, Edmond, Col. Gov 174 

Annapolis, Maryland 15, 48, 51 

Ann Street, N. Y 27, 31, 34, 35, 57, 103, 115, 126 

Anthony Street, N. Y 46, 53, 54 

Anser 160 

Anseric 160 

Appleton & Co., publishers, N. Y 53 

Apollo Hall, N. Y 57 

Apollo Hall, Brooklyn 49 

Apollo, horse 66 

Apprentices' Library, N. Y 57, 135 

April fool day 164 

Apthorpe House, N. Y 68 

Aquarium, Battery Park, N. Y 2 

Aqueduct Running Race-Track, Queens County, L. I. . . . ^j 

Arabia, steamship 14 

Arago, steamship 12, 16 

Arctic, steamship 13 

Arethusa 155 

Argyle Hotel, Babylon, L. 1 123 

Army Headquarters 9 

Arnold, Constable & Co., dry goods, N. Y 56 



i8o INDEX 

Arnold, Frank, Brooklyn 34 

Asia, steamship 14, iG 

Aspinwall, W. H., N. Y 136 

Assistant Engineer, N. Y. Fire Dept. Volunteers. .. .36, 37 

Assistant Engineer, Brooklyn Fire Dept. Volunteers 39 

Astor, John Jacob, N. Y in, 116, 137 

Astor House, hotel, N. Y 4, 41 

Astor Library, N. Y no, 135 

Astor Place, N. Y 4, no, 135 

Astor Place, riots, N. Y no 

Astor, William B., N. Y n6, 136 

Astor, William B., Jr 137 

Astoria, L. 1 27, 123 

Athletics of Philadelphia, Base Ball Club 87 

Atlantic Cable 4, 17 

Atlantic Base Ball Club, Brooklyn 83. 84, 87 

Atlanitc Dock, Brooklyn 7, 121 

Atlantic Gardens, N. Y 46 

Atlantic Guards, Bowery, N. Y 46 

Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey 123 

Atlantic Hose Company, No. i, Brooklyn. . . .34, 37, 38, 91 

Atlantic Mutual (Marine) Insurance Company, N. Y. .13. 24 

Atlantic Ocean 5 

Atlantic Street Tunnel, Brooklyn 5.? 

Atlantic Steamship 13, 16 

Atlanticville, L. 1 139 

Attorney Street, N. Y 36 

Auction Eating House, N. Y 21 

Audobon 1 60 

Augusta, steamship 14 

Austin, Nat. Circus Ring Master 62 

Author of this book 38. 40, 173 

Author's family 53 

Avenue "A," N. Y 122 

Awful, horse 66 

Aymar & Co., ship chandlers, N. Y 8 

Aymar, Frederick, Brooklyn 18 



INDEX i8i 

B 

Babylon, L. 1 20, 67, 102, 139, 140, 175 

Babylon RaceTrack, L. t 67 

Babylonians, L. 1 102 

Bache, James, banker, N. Y 20 

Bachus, Charley, minstrel, N. Y 61 

Baker, Eugene P., Brooklyn 39 

Baker, Frank, banker, N. Y 21 

Baker, Lew (Bill Poole fracas), N. Y 62, 63 

Baldwin, Frank, clothing, N. Y 56 

Baldwin, Zeke, hotel, Brooklyn 83 

Ball, Black & Co., jewelers N. Y 38 

Ballston N. Y. State 123 

Baltic, steamship 13, 16, 51 

Baltimore, Maryland 48, 51, 71, 94 

Bangs, F. C, actor 59, 109 

Bank of America, N. Y 25 

Bank of Commerce, N. Y 20, 25 

Bank of New York, N. Y 25 

Bank of North America, N. Y 25, 26 

Bank of State of New York, N. Y 26 

Bank of The Republic, N. Y 27 

Bank of United States 159 

Bank Street, N. Y 59 

Banks, Theodore, flour and grain merchant, N. Y 7 

Bankers Trust Co., N. Y 27 

Baptist Churches, N. Y 134 

Barber, W. B., provisions, Brooklyn 10 

Barclay Street, N. Y 10, 38, 41, 133 

Barge Office, Battery Park, N. Y 2 

Barker, Jacob, stock broker, N. Y 21 

Barmore, Mr., N. Y 99 

Barmore, J. & C, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Barmore & McCollough's ice cream saloon, N. Y 99 

Barnegat, New Jersey 5 

Barretos, Long Island Sound 123 



i82 INDEX 

Barr, Robert, Asst. Eng. Fire Dept. Vol., Brooklyn. .37. 39 

Barrett, actor 109 

Barnum, P. C., clothing, N. Y 56 

Bassett, Edward 40 

Barnum, Phineas T., showman, N. Y 4, 32, 136 

Barnnm's Museum, N. Y 4- 3I) 33, 57- 103 

Barry, John, road house, N. Y 119 

Bartholomew, minstrel, N. Y 58 

Bartlett & Struble, slaughterers, N. Y 11 

Bath, L. 1 60, 123 

Bath Beach Hotel, L. 1 123 

Battle Hill, Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn 60 

Batteries 157 

Battery Park, N. Y 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 60, no, 122, 137, 138 

Battery Place, N. Y , 18 

Bateman, Kate, actress 32, 102 

Bates, Eli, Asst. Engineer N. Y. Fire Dept. Volunteers. . . 36 

Batterby, Joshua, character in the comedy "Victims" 60 

Baxter, Bill, horse trainer 71 

Bayard Street, N. Y 46 

Bayard, Samuel, Jr 174 

Baylis, Smith C. Brooklyn 18, 27 

Baymen 140, 141, 171 

Bayside, L. 1 20, 24, 99 

Bay Ridge, L. 1 53 

Beach Street, N. Y 45 

Beach Pneumatic R. R. Tunnel, N. Y 52 

Beatrice Bellini, mare 29 

Beaver Pond, Jamaica, L. 1 65 

Beaver Street, N. Y 18, 19, 25, 29, 124. 136 

Beckstein & Co., provisions, N. Y 10 

Beck, Retail Dry Goods, N. Y 56 

Beckert, Harry, actor 61 

Bedell, Daniel 1 73 

Bedford, Brooklyn 9, 83, 1 19 

Bedford Street Methodist Church, N. Y 133 

Bedlam loi 



INDEX 183 

Bedloes Island, N. Y. Bay 4, 8, 137 

Beecher, Henry Ward, Rev., Brooklyn 22, 32, 134 

Beefsteak Church, 4th Ave., N. Y 134 

Beekman, James 137 

Beekman Street, N. Y 44, 126, 131. 133 

Behemoth of the Scriptures 142 

Belfast Provision Houses 18 

Belgian Block Pavement no 

Bell, James, tailor, N. Y 28 

Bell and Everett, Presidential Candidates i860 58 

Belle Air, horse 94 

Belle Hamlin, mare 96 

Bell Ringer, horse 66 

BeHport, L. 1 85 

Belmont, August, banker, N. Y 20, 80, 114, 137 

Belmont House, hotel, Fulton Street, N. Y 21, 34 

Bellows, Frank, livery stable, N. Y 64 

Belleville, New Jersey 122 

"Ben Bolt," song 48 

Bennett, James Gordon, editor N. Y. "Herald". . 16, 124, 136 

Bennett, James Gordon, Jr., N. Y 22 

Bennett, Colonel, 48th Regiment, Brooklyn 49 

Benson, Arthur, tea importer, Brooklyn 92 

Benson, Alexander, Brooklyn 9, 39 

Benson Street, N. Y 126 

Benton, Jessie 58 

Benton, Tom, U. S. Senator 58 

Beppo, horse 66 

Bergen Point, New Jersey 123 

Bernard, Mrs. (Caroline Ritchings), opera singer 58 

Bernard, minstrel 61 

Berrian, Rev. Dr., Rector 131 

Berry's Dining Rooms, Broad Street, N. Y 23 

Bertholfs, Harry, road house, N. Y 68, 113 

Bevans, James, fire bell ringer, N. Y 60 

Bewick 160 

Biddle, Nicholas 159 



i84 INDEX 

Biddleize 1 59 

Big House 170 

Big Six Engine Co., N. Y. Fire Dept. Volunteers 36 

Bigley, R. W., Brooklyn Fire Dept. Volunteers 34 

Biles, Sam 155 

Billings, Josh, writer 113 

Billings, C. K. G., N. Y 96 

Birch, Billy, minstrel 15, 61 

Birmingham Street, N. Y 126 

"Black Crook" (1865), drama 6r 

Black Douglas, horse 79 

"Black Eyed Su.san," drama 58 

Black Hawk (Morgan's), horse 21 

Black Warrior, steamship 14 

Black Warrior, clipper ship 8 

Blake, Wm. Rufus, actor 53-103 

Blakeley, Tom, ale house, Brooklyn 83 

Blanck's German Bakery, N. Y 22, 23 

Blanco, B., exporter, N. Y 8 

Bleecker Street, N. Y 49, 54, 55, 63, 98, 125, 126, 136 

Bleecker Street Stage Line, N. Y 42 

Bleecker, Anthony J., real estate broker, N. Y 21, 28 

Blitz, Signor, sleight-of-hand performer 107 

Bloomingdale, N. Y 42, 64 

Bloomingdale Road, N. Y 9, 49. "8 

Bloomingdale Stage Line 42 

Blossom, Benjamin, merchant, N. Y 8 

Bluffer, horse 68 

Blydenburg, Richard, Smithtown, L. 1 66 

Board of Education Building 58 

Boerum Street, Brooklyn 19, $2 

Boerum, Mr 80 

Bolivar, horse 95 

Bonaparte 161 

Bond. Colonel, Baltimore, Md 7^ 

Bond Street, No. 31, N. Y 99, 126, 136, 172 

Bond Street, N. Y 125 



INDEX 185 

Bonfanti, dancer 61 

Bonner, Asst. Engineer, N. Y. Fire Dept. Volunteers. .36, 96 

Bonner, David, publisher, N. Y 20, 81 

Bonner, Robert, editor N. Y. "Ledger," 12, 66, 81, 125 

Boorman, Johnston & Co., merchants, N. Y 8 

Booth, Edwin, actor 102 

Booth, Junius Brutus, actor 102 

Booth, J. Wilkes 41, 100, 102 

Booths, actors 22 

Booth's Theatre, N. Y 109 

Boston, Mass 47, 61 

Boston Blue, horse 71, 112 

Boston Boy, horse 92 

Boston Girl, mare 66 

Boston Pony, horse 71, 94 

Bostonian, actor 33 

Boucicault, Dion, actor 59, 102 

Bowen & McNamee, dry goods, N. Y 28, 31 

Bowery, N. Y 

10, II, 29, 41, 43. 46, 56, 57. 65, 97, 98, 99, 126, 128, 131, 173 

Bowery Stage Line, N. Y 42 

Bowery Theatre, N. Y 46 

Bowers, Mrs., actress 88 

Bowling Green, N. Y 9, 12, 41. no, 122, 136, 138 

Boyd & Hincken, ship brokers, N. Y 8 

Boyne Battle, Ireland 122 

Bradbury, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Brainard, Asa, Excelsior Base Ball Club, Brooklyn 83 

Brainard, Harry, Excelsior Base Ball Club, Brooklyn .... 87 

Brandreth, B., patent medicines, N. Y 54 

Brandreth House, hotel, N. Y 54 

Brazilian Ape 62 

Breckenridge & Lane, presidential candidates (i860) .... 58 

Brennan, Mathew, sheriff of New York 64 

Breslin, James, hotel proprietor, N. Y 12, 80 

Brevoort, Henry, N. Y 136 



i86 INDEX 

Brewster, wagon maker, N. Y 64 

Hrick Church, Park Row, N. Y 44, 133 

Brick House, L. 1 169 

Brick House, Brook 149, 168, 170, 175 

Bridge Enlargement, Brooklyn 44 

Bridgeport Line Steamboats 15 

Brignoli, opera singer 103 

"Brigham Young," comedy loi 

Brighton Beach Race Track, Coney Island 95 

Bristol, steamboat 16 

British Blonde, actress 61 

British Consulate 13 

British Navy 69 

Broad Street, N. Y 6, 9, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25 

Broadway, N. Y.. .4, 6, 9, 13, 14, 18, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 
34, 36, 38, 39, 41, 43. 45. 47. 48, 49. 52, 53. 54. 55. 56, 
57. 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 90, 97, 98, 99, loi, 103, 104, 
106, 107, ic8, 109, no. III, 112, 113, 114, 115, 122, 
126, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 138 

Broadway Bank, N. Y 42 

Broadway Central Hotel. N. Y 102 

Broadway Chambers, N. Y 5^ 

Broadway House, hotel 59 

Broadway Stage Line, N. Y 41, 42 

Broadway Subway, N. Y 52 

Broadway Theatre, N. Y 52, 88 

Broadway Theatre (formerly Wallacks). Bnoome St. and 

Broadway. N. Y 103, 104 

Broadway Varieties, N. Y 5^ 

I'.rodie, James A., furs, Brooklyn 34 

Brokaw's, clothing, N. Y 109 

l^rooks Brothers, clothing, N. Y 56 

Brooks Dancing Academy, N. Y 57 

Brooks. Erastus, editor N. Y. "Express," N. Y...21, 2"], 124 
Brooks, James, editor N. Y. "Express," and Congress- 
man 27, 124 



INDEX 187 

Brooklyn, L. I.. .2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 2-2), 

24, 26, 31, 34, 37, 39, 40, 48, 49, 52, 58, 62, 83, 84, 85, 

86, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92, 103, 107, 118, 119, 121, 124, 134, 

137, 138, 139, 173 

Brooklyn Base Ball Clnb 83 

P.rooklyn Bridge 40 

Brooklyn Club 89 

Brooklyn Engine Co., No. 17, Vol. Fire Dept., Brooklyn. T^y 

Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn 11, 92 

Brooklynite 18 

Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn 61 

Brooklyn preacher, Brooklyn 22 

Brooklyn Quaker, Brooklyn 24 

Brooklyn Roads, Brooklyn 11, 19, 54 

Brooklyn Theatre, Brooklyn 83, 107 

Brooklyn Water Works, Brooklyn 169 

Bronson, Frederick, N. Y 136 

Bronx, N. Y 138 

Broome Street, N. Y.io, 43, 46, 57, 59, 103, 127, 131, 134, 135 

Brougham, John, actor 46, 59, 102. 103, 106 

Broughams Lyceum, Theatre, N. Y 59 

Broughams Theatre (formerly 5th Avenue Theatre. 1869) 106 

"Brother Sam," comedy 100 

Brown, Joseph H 39 

Brown, George W., restaurant, N. Y 21 

Brown, James 1 36 

Brown, Sexton of Grace Church, N. Y 112 

Brown Brothers, bankers, N. Y 24 

Brown Columbus, horse 66 

Brown Dick, horse 80 

Brown, stage proprietor, N. Y 42 

Brown Stone 122 

Brown & Secomb, auctioneers, N. Y 25 

Brownell, Frank H., Sergeant, Zouaves 51 

Bruce, Langley, N. Y 109 

Brundage, James, Brooklyn 92 

Brunette, mare 81. 96 



i88 INDEX 

Brunei, steamship builder 2 

Bruno, horse 8i, 96 

Brunswick Hotel, N. Y 9 

Brutus, character in "Julius Caesar" 109 

Bryant, Dan, minstrel 57 

Bryant, David, Smithtown, L. 1 65 

Bryant, Jerry, minstrel 57, 64 

Bryant, Neil, minstrel 57, 64 

Bryant Park, N. Y 43 

Bryant, William Cullen, editor "Evening Post," N. Y.,.. 

16, 124, 157 

Bryant's minstrels 57, 103, 113 

Bryce & Co., Wm., Hardware, N. Y 38 

Buchanan, James, President U. S 60 

Buckley family, Astoria, L. 1 123 

Buckley's Serenaders, N. Y. minstrels 61, 103 

Buffalo, N. Y. State 29 

Buffalo Skins 119 

Buffon 160 

Bulls Head, 24th St., N. Y 42 

Bulls Head Hotel, 24th St. and 3d Ave., N. Y 42 

Bull Run, Battle of, (Virginia) 49, 51 

Burdell, Harvey, dentist, 31 Bond St., N. Y 99, 100 

Burdell murder, 31 Bond St., N. Y 99 

Burdett, Jones & Co., auctioneers, N. Y 8 

Burnett, George 66, 81 

Burnham, Gordon S., N. Y 114, 136 

Bumham's Road House, N. Y 64, 118 

Burnham's Gymnasium, Brooklyn 137 

Burke, Pascall C, Brooklyn 34 

Burling Slip, N. Y 8, 16. 26 

Burr, Carl, Smithtown, L. 1 80, 118 

Burrell, Seymour, butter and cheese, N. Y 19 

Burrell, William, jeweller, N. Y ^7 

Burroughs, Claude, actor 107 

Burton, William E., actor 49, 101,102, 103 

Burtons Theatre, N. Y 49, loi, 103 



INDEX 189 

Burton's New Theatre, formerly Laura Keene's Varie- 
ties, N. Y loi 

Butler. James, N. Y 95 

By "Jimmey Neddy" (Mort Tunison), Coney Island Road 

House 19 

C 

Cable Tom 2}^ 

Cable Hotel, Coney Island 23 

Caen, France 29 

Caesar, see page 109 

Caius Cassius, character in "J"li"s Caesar," drama 109 

Caldwell, Jacob, police commissioner 47 

Callender Building 27 

California, State 80, 100 

California Damsel, rnare 12 

California Vigilance Committee 98 

California Clippers, sailing vessels 7 

Calphurina, wife to Caesar 109 

Calvary Church, Episcopal, 4th Ave. & 21st St., N. Y. . . . 132 

Calypso 155 

"Camille," drama 60, 100 

Cammeyer, Casper K., Brooklyn 39 

Campanini, opera singer 103 

Campbell, Felix, Brooklyn 92 

Campbell, Sir Colin, India 17 

Campbell, Sherwood, opera singer 58 

Canada 12, 98 

Canal Street, N. Y 

31, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 53, 54, 56, 57, 126, 127, 133 

Canal Street, North River, N. Y 13, 15 

"Can this be the Battery of Old Times?" 137 

Canterbury Hall, Cheap Concerts, N. Y 99 

Cape May, New Jersey 123, 161 

Cape Race, Newfoundland 13 

Caroline Street, N. Y 126 



I90 INDEX 

Carlisle Street, N. Y 126, 127 

Carlton Mouse Hotel, N. Y 56 

Carlton Avenue, Brooklyn -^j 

Carmine Street, N. Y 42, 128, 132 

Carpenter & Vermilye, bankers, N. Y 26 

Carson, Alfred, Chief Engineer N. Y. Fire Dept. Vol... 36 

Case, J. I., Racine, Wisconsin 117 

"Cassius, Julius Caesar," drama 109 

"Caste," drama 60, 103 

Cases, Gabe, Road House, N. Y 1 19 

Castle Clinton, Battery Park, N. Y 3 

Castle Garden, Battery Park, N. Y 3, 4, 5, 52, 61 

Castle Williams, Governors Island, N. Y. Bay 2, 137 

Castle, William, opera singer 58 

Cassius M. Clay, horse 81 

Caswells, Barettos Point, L. I. Sound 123 

Cas.sy, character "Uncle Tom's Cabin," 33 

Catharine Market, N. Y, 127 

Catharine Street, N. Y 7, 38, 56, 126, 127 

Catharine Lane, N. Y 126 

Causes of the Civil War 32 

Cedar Rapids, Iowa it 

Cedar Street, N. Y 17, 22, 23, 24, 28, 44, 55, 56, 126 

Cemeteries, N. Y 128 

Centerville, horse 79 

Centerville Race Track, Long Island 60, 65, 67, 79 

Center Market, N. Y 63, 127 

Central America, steamship 14, 15 

Central Avenue (later Jerome Avenue), N. Y 119 

Central Park, N. Y 2, 39, 46, 1 14, 122 

Centre Street, N. Y 38, 43, 45, 46, 57, 58, 127 

Chadwick, F. E., Rear Admiral U. S. Navy 3, 32 

Chadwick, F. E., Mrs 3 

Chadwick, E., base ball reporter 83 

Challenge, Clipper shij) 8 

Cliamljerlain, Roe & Co., ])rovisions, N. Y 10 



INDEX 



191 



Chambers Street, N. Y 

32, 38, 44, 45. 48, 49, 52, 56, 101, 103, 110, 122 

Chanfrau, F. S., actor 46 

Chan f rail, F. S., Mrs., actress 104 

Chaplain, Governors Island, N. Y 95 

Charles H. Marshall, packet-ship ^ 

Charleston, S. C 15, 19 

Charleston Harbor, S. C 14 

Charleston Line Steamships 14 

Charleston, steamship 14 

Charley Green, horse 12 

Charlton Street, N. Y 10, 14 

Chatham Theatre (National), N. Y ^2, 33 

Chatham Square 56, 128 

Chatham Street 27, 41, 43, 133 

Cheever's, Rev. Dr., Church, Union Square, N. Y.113, 114, 133 

Chemical Bank, N. Y 52 

Cherry Street, N. Y 126 

Chesapeake, U. S. Frigate 28 

Chestnut Street, N. Y 125 

Chicago, 111 II, 22, 50, 58, 88 

Chicago Jack, horse 80 

Chichester, Daniel, stage driver 82 

Chief of Police 47 

Chickering Hall, N. Y 109 

Chief Engineer, Fire Dept. Vol. N. Y 36 

Chief Magistrate of the City, N. Y 108 

Chief Engineer, Fire Dept. N. Y. paid system 36, 2>7 

Chinese Assembly Rooms, N. Y 57, 99 

Chinese Quarter, N. Y 126 

Chippendale, actor 32, 59 

Chittenden & Co., S. B 31 

Chloe, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" ^t, 

Chop and Ale House 54 

Chrystie Street, N. Y 10, 131 

Christmas, 1857, N. Y 26 

Christopher Street, N. Y 2, 63, 105, 125, 126 



192 INDEX 

Christy's Minstrels, N. Y 57, 58, 103 

Christy, E. P., minstrel, N. Y. manager 57 

Christy, George, minstrel 57 

Christy and Woods Minstrels, N. Y 57 

Christ Church, Episcopal, N. Y 132 

Church of the Annunciation, Episcopal, W. 14th St., N.Y. 132 

Church of the Ascension, Episcopal, N. Y 132 

Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal, N. Y 132 

Church of the Holy Apostles, Episcopal, N. Y 132 

Church of the Holy Communion, Episcopal, 6th Ave. and 

20th Street, N. Y 132 

Church of the Incarnation, Episcopal, N. Y 132 

Church of the Pilgrims, Clinton Street, Brooklyn 134 

Church of the Transfiguration, Episcopal, N. Y.60, 100, 132 

Church Street, N. Y 20, 35, 54, 132, 133 

Cincinnati, Ohio 5, 11, 105 

Circus Company 62 

Citizens Central National Bank, N. Y 31 

City Assembly Rooms, 444 B'way, N. Y 57 

City Court, N. Y 38 

City Guard, N. Y 63, 129 

City Guard, Brooklyn 49 

City Hall, Brooklyn 87 

City Hall, N. Y 4, 32, 41, 43, 47, 50, 122 

City Hall (New), Brown Stone Building, N. Y 32, 38 

City Hall Park. N. Y 31, 32, 46, 48, 50, 122 

City Hall Park, Barracks, N.Y 48 

City Hall Street, N. Y 126 

City National Bank, N. Y 25 

City of Baltimore Str 14 

City of Boston, steamship 14 

City of Cork, steamship 14 

City of Edinburgh, steamship 14 

City of Glasgow, steamship for Philadelphia, lost 1854. . 14 

City of Hartford, steamboat 15 

City of Limerick, steamshij) 14 

City of Liverpool, steamshij) 14 



INDEX 193 

City of London, steamship 14 

City of Manchester, steamship 14 

City of New York, steamship 14 

City of New Haven, steamboat 15 

City of Paris, steamship 14 

City of Philadelphia, steamship 14 

City of Wasliington, steamship 14 

Civil War, North and South 15. 32, 39 

Claflin, H. B., Brooklyn and Fordham, N. Y 31 

Claflin, Mellen & Co., dry goods, N. Y 3T 

Clara G., mare 12 

Clark, George, actor 32, 106 

Clark & Brown, restaurant, N. Y 21, 22 

Clark, Dodge & Co., bankers, N. Y 20 

Clark, Robert, Lieut. -Col., 13th Regiment, Brooklyn 48 

Clark Street, Chicago, 111 22 

Clark Street, Brooklyn 135 

Clark, William, provisions, N. Y 10 

Claxton, Kate, actress 107 

Clay Mare 19 

Cleora, mare 118 

CHff Street, N. Y 44, 131 

Cleveland, Ohio 118 

Clifton's English Ale and Chop House, N. Y 97 

Clingstone, horse 118 

Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn 134 

Clinton, DeWitt, Governor of New York 3, 159, 172 

Clinton, George, Governor of New York 3, 95 

Clinton Hall, N. Y no, 135 

Clinton Market, N. Y 127 

Clinton Street, Brooklyn 83, 88, 134, 135 

Close, Aaron, clothing, N. Y 56 

Clown, circus 62, 97 

Coates & McMillan, provisions, N. Y 10 

Coburn, Joe, pugilist 98 

Cobb, Carlos, flour merchant, N. Y 7 

Cobwell Hall, ale and chop house, N. Y 54 

15 



194 INDEX 

Coddington & Co., Thos., iron yard, N. Y 29 

Coe, Charles, hotel, N. Y 97, 1 14 

Coenties Alley, N. Y 126 

Coenties Slip, N. Y 7, 9, 11, 19, 38, 126 

Coghlan, Rose, actress 104 

Cold Spring Harbor Beach 175 

Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island 3, 16, 20, 69, 170, 175 

Coleman & Co., W. F., ship agents, N. Y 8 

CoUine-onatic 165 

Colgan, Doniinick, oyster house, Brooklyn 83 

Collineodiction 159 

College Place. N. Y 44 

Collier, E. K., actor 109 

Collier, Sam, pugulist 98 

Collins, E. K., shipping agent, N. Y 13 

Collins Line, .steamships, N. Y 13, 51 

Colonial Deputy Secretary 174 

Colonial Governor 174 

Colorado, State 5 

Colorado E., horse 95 

Colored Orphan Asylum, N. Y 115 

Colored People allowed in this car, N. Y 42, 43 

Colt Murder Case, N. Y 52 

Columbia Street, Brooklyn 10, 39, 40, 52, 92 

Columbia College, N. Y 20 

Columbus Avenue, N. Y 68 

Comae, Suffolk County, L. 1 118 

Comet, clipper ship 8 

Comet yacht 22 

Combs, Jane, actress 59 

Commissioner of Public Works, Brooklyn 18 

Commodore Vanderbilt, horse 82 

Communipavv, New Jersey 11 

Company "G" Thirteenth Regiment, Brooklyn 34, 49 

Concord Street, Brooklyn 134 

Coney Island, 5, 23 

Coney Island road 9, 18, 19 



INDEX 195 

Confederate Batteries 15 

Confederate Flag 51 

Confidence, horse 66 

Congregational Dutch Churches, N. Y 133 

Congress Street, N. Y 126 

Congressman 37 

Conklin Wood, Huntingdon, L. 1 12 

Connecticut 29 

Conovers Hotel, Long Branch, New Jersey 123 

Continental, steamboat 15 

Continental Bank, N. Y 27 

Contraband, horse 81 

Conway, F. B., actor 88, 103 

Conway, Mrs. F. B., actress 88, 108 

Conway, H. J., dramatist 33 

Conway, Minnie (Mrs. Levy) 88 

Cook, Rev. George 132 

Cooke & Co., Jay, bankers, N. Y 27 

Cooper, James Fenimore, writer 45 

Cooper, Peter, N. Y 56, in, 136 

Cooperstown, N. Y. State 123 

Copcutt, Frank, N. Y in 

Coquette, mare 92, 93 

Cora, Bark "Slaver" 2 

Corcoran, Michael, Colonel 69th Regiment, N. Y 129 

Corlies & Macy, stationers, N. Y 55 

Corn Exchange 9 

Cornelia Street 126 

Cornell, John 92 

Cornelius, Judson, stage owner, Amityville, L. 1 82 

Corinthian 165 

Corporal Thompson's Road House, N. Y 64 

Corporation Counsel 171 

Cosmopolitan Hotel, N. Y 45 

Coster, John H., N. Y 21 

Coster, J. W., N. Y 81 

Couldock, C. W., actor 100, 106 



iy6 INDEX 

County Fairs, L. 1 102 

Court House, Chicago 88 

Court House, Brooklyn IQ 

Court Street, Brooklyn 37. 38, 40, 87, 88, 134 

Cortlandt Street, N. Y 27, 31, 42 

Cortlandt Alley, N. Y 126 

Cowing, Rufus B., Judge 34 

Coxe, Vice-President Insurance Co., N. Y 24 

Cozine Margrietje 131, 132 

Cozzens Hotel, West Point, N. Y 123 

Cragin, George D., provisions, N. Y 10, iS 

Cram, Jacob 137 

Crane, Monroe, slaughterer, N. Y 11 

Crane, W. H., actor 107 

Cranberry Street, Brooklyn 40, 48, 134 

Cransotn, Hiram, hotel proprietor, N. Y 109 

Creighton, James, base ball pitcher, Brooklyn 83, 87 

Cresceus, horse 94 

Cricket Club, Staten Island 22 

Crimean War, Russia 17 

Croakers 1 07 

Crocker, Sarah (Mrs. F. B. Conway), actress 88, 103 

Crocheron, Joe, Road House, L. 1 81 

Crook & Duff, restaurant, N. Y 2}, 

Crosby, W. B., N. Y 13^^ 

Crosby, Rev. Dr., Church, N. Y 133 

Crosby Street, N. Y 54. 60, 63, 64, 97, 126. 137 

Croton, steamboat i'^ 

Crystal Palace, N. Y 4. 43 

Culver Railroad, Brooklyn 2}^ 

Cimard, Sir Edward, steamship agent 14 

Cunard Line, steamship 13. 14 

Cummings, Thomas B., hardware, N. Y 25 

Cummings, base ball player, Brooklyn 83 

Cunningham, John, Chief Engineer Brooklyn Fire Dept. 

Volunteer System 37 

Cunningham, Mrs. (Burdell Case, N. Y.) 99, 100 



INDEX 197 

Curtis Family, Hempstead, L. 1 83 

Curtis, John, Hempstead, L. 1 85 

Curtis, Joseph, Hempstead, L. 1 85 

Curtis, Wilham, Hempstead, L. 1 85 

Cushman, Charlotte, actress 61, 102 

Cushman, Don. Alonzo 136 

Cutting, Francis B., lawyer, N. Y 21, 36, 114 

Cuyler's, Dr. Church, ijrooklyn 135 

Cypress, J., Jr. ( W. P. Hawes) 

140, 141, 142, 147, 150, 152, 157, 164, i6g 

D 

Daddy Lambert, museum freak 32 

"Daily News," newspaper, N. Y 64 

Daisy, mare 97 

Dakin, General Thomas, Brooklyn 87 

Daly, Augustin, playwright and theatrical manager .. lOO, 106 

Daly's New Fifth Avenue Theatre, N. Y 106 

Dale, John G., steamship agent, N. Y 11, 14 

Dan Patch, horse 95 

Dana, Charles A., editor N. Y. "Sun" 124 

Depau Row 49 

Danbury, Conn 29 

Daniel (Dannel) (Titinius) . . 141, 142, 143, 147, 149, 155, 156 

DarUng, A. B., hotel proprietor, N. Y 80, 116 

Davenport, Dolly, actor 59, 102 

Davenport Brothers, spirit cabinet tricks 107 

Davenport, E. L., actor 61, 109 

Davenport, Fanny, actress 106 

Davidge, William, actor 59, 104, 106 

Davidson, John, Baker, N. Y 23 

Davis, John, actor 33 

D'Alroy, George, character in "Caste" 104 

Deacon Perry, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Dead Rabbit Riots, N. Y 46 

Dean, Dan, Billiard Room, Brooklyn 87 



rpS INDEX 

Dean, Tom, Billiard Room, Brooklyn 87 

Dean's Hotel, Lake Mahopac, N. Y. State 124 

Death, Sleigh Ride 120 

Decker Bros., piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Decker, John, Chief Engineer N. Y. Fire Dept. Volunteers 36 

Decker, Thompson W., bank director, N. Y 42 

Decker and Barnes, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Deeds 174 

Deerfoot Race Track, Brooklyn 91 

Degraw Street, Brooklyn 38 

DeLancey, Etienne, N. Y 29 

DeLancey Family, N. Y 65 

Delatour, A. J., mineral waters, N. Y 24 

Delatours, soda water fountain, N. Y 24 

Delmar, John, Judge, Brooklyn 40 

Delmonico, Lorenzo, N. Y 20, 136, 137 

Delmonicos Restaurant, N. Y 13, 20, 36, 52 

Del Puente, opera singer 103 

Democrat, horse 92 

Democratic, political party 124, 125 

Dennin, Susan, actress 32 

Dennis, Charles, Vice-Pres't Ins. Co 24 

Denton, Detective, Brooklyn 19 

Denton, Samuel, Jamaica, L. 1 85 

Denver, Colorado 99 

Depau Row, Bleecker Street, N. Y 136 

Despard, C. J., Sec'y Ins. Co., N. Y 24 

"Des Etats Unis," French Newspaper 125 

Devlin & Co., clothing, N. Y 52 

Dewey, George, U. S. Navy (Admiral) 61 

Dexter, horse 81, 82, 94 

Diah 171 

Dick Swiveller, horse 96, 117 

Dickens' Character 69 

Dickel's Riding Academy, N. Y no 

Dickie, James, Brooklyn 38 

Dickey's, Hunts Point, N. Y 123 



INDEX 199 

Dietz, Frederick, Hempstead, L. 1 92 

Diller, Rev. Dr., Rector St. Luke's Church, Brooklyn. ... 134 

Dime Savings Bank, Brooklyn 88 

Diomed, Chestnut Horse ( Imported) 94 

Diomed, horse 94 

Disbrow, Thomas, Jamaica, L. 1 97 

District Attorney 109 

District of Columbia, Md 26 

Division Street, N. Y 29, 98 

■'Divorce," comedy 106 

"Dixie," song 5^ 

Doble Budd, Track Driver 94 

Dodge, Commodore, Brooklyn 20 

Dodge, Wm. E., N. Y 136, 13? 

Dodworth's Dancing Academy, N. Y 57 

Dongan, Thomas, Colonial Governor 174 

Dominy's Hotel, Fire Island, L. 1 123 

Doric 165 

Dorlon & Shaffer, oyster saloon, Fulton Market, N. Y. . . 87 

Dorlon, Alfred, Fulton Market, N. Y 35 

Dot, Admiral, dwarf 32 

Doty, John, track driver 12, 91 

Douglas & Johnson, presidential candidates i860 58 

Down East 165 

Dows, David I37 

Dows & Co., flour merchants, N. Y 7 

Dowling, police justice, N. Y 47 

Downing, George (colored man"), oyster saloon, 3 Broad 

Street, N. Y 21 

Downing Street, N. Y 126 

Doyer Street, N. Y 126 

Draft Riots, N. Y 115 

Draper, Simeon, police commissioner, N. Y 47 

Draper, W. H., auctioneer, N. Y 25 

Dreadnought, clipper ship 5- ^ 

Drew, Daniel, stock broker, N. Y 113, 137 

Drew, John, actor, N. Y 106 



200 INDEX 

Duane Street, N. Y 54, 126, 127, 133 

Duchess, mare 66 

Duchesne, captain of steamship Vesta 13 

Duff, John, theatrical manager 100 

Duke Alexis of Russia 61 

Duke of Newcastle, England 60 

Duncan, Wliliam Butler, N. Y 1 16 

Duncan, Sherman & Co., bankers, N. Y 27 

Dunham, David, piano manufacturer, N. Y 55 

Dunham & Dimon, ship agents, N. Y 8 

Durocs, horses 10 

Duryea, Abram, Colonel 7th Regiment, N. Y 47, 129 

Dusenbury & Van Duser, wagons, N. Y 63 

Dutch 143 

Dutcher & Ellerby, hop dealers, N. Y 9 

Dutch Governor of New York 131 

Dutchman, horse 66 

Dutch Street, N. Y 127 

Duyckinck, D., stationer, N. Y 56 

Dyas, Ada, actress 104 

E 

Eacker, George L., N. Y 172 

Eagle Engine Company, No. 4, Brooklyn Volunteer Fire 

Dept 2>7 

Earl's Hotel, N. Y 57 

Early Rose, mare 118 

East Broadway, N. Y 56 

East Broadway stage line, N. Y 42 

Eastern Dept. U. S. Army, N. Y 9 

Eastern Hotel 30 

Easthampton, L. 1 85 

East Indian Comedy 60 

Eastman, Timothy, live stock dealer, N. Y ro 

East New York, Long Island 9, 67, 82, 112, 119 

East River, N. Y. . .7, 8, 11, 15, 29, 43, 121, 122, 123, 126, 127 



INDEX 201 

East Street, N. Y 126 

Eastons, Cahoone & Kinney, cotton brokers, N. Y 25 

Eccles, character in the comedy "Caste" 104 

Eccles, Esther, character in the comedy "Caste" 104 

Eccles, Polly, character in the comedy "Caste" 104 

Eckfords, base ball club, Greenpoint, L. 1 87 

Eckles, John H. (Burdell Case, N. Y. ) 99 

Eclipse, horse, (American) 93 

Eclipse Race Course, Long Island 67 

Eddy, Ed, actor 52 

Edgar Street, N. Y 125 

Edward, horse 96, 1 18 

Edwards, Billy, pugulist 98 

Edwards, Lena, actress 107 

Edwin Forest, horse 118 

Egg Harbor, New Jersey 161 

Eight-Hose Co., "Mechanic," N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dept. 18 
Eight-Hose Co., "Water Witch," Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 39, 40 

Eighteenth Street, N. Y 20, 114, 121 

Eighth Avenue, N. Y 39, 42, 43, 105 

Eighth Avenue car line, N. Y 43 

Eighth Regiment Washington Grays 129 

Eighth Street, N. Y. ..42, 55, 99, 107, 109, no, 116, 122, 127 

Eighty-fourth Street, N. Y 64 

Eldert, Henry. N. Y 80 

Electric Tramways, N. Y 138 

Elevated Railroad, N. Y 2, 138 

Eleven-Hose Co., Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Dept 39. 40 

Eleventh Street, N. Y 54. 126, 128 

Eleventh Ward Bank, N. Y 26 

Ellen Jewett, mare 66 

EHza, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" ^^ 

Elizabeth Street, N. Y 10, 46, 134 

Elliott, Richard C, lawyer, N. Y 38 

Elliot, character in the comedy "Rosedale" 105 

Elm City, steamboat 15 



202 INDEX 

Elm Street, N. Y 36. 54. 58 

Ellsworth, Elmer, Colonel, Zouaves 50, 51 

Elwell, J. W., ship broker, N. Y 9 

Elysian Fields, Hoboken, N. J 84 

Emily Glentworth, mare 3 

Emma C, mare 97 

Emmett, Daniel Decatur, song writer 58 

Emmons, Miss, actress 33 

Empire Race Track, N. Y 95 

Empire State, steamboat 15 

Empires, base ball club, N. Y 87 

Empress, mare 80 

Eneas 141 

Eneas, Joseph, importer, N. Y 8 

England 17, 71, 98, 112 

English Ale and Chop House 22, 54, 97 

English actor 102, 103, 109 

English beauty 108 

English garrison 17 

English girl 28 

English Governor 44 

English minister 60 

English opera 58, 102 

English steamer, captains no 

English stud book 94 

Englishman 50, 69, 88 

Englishmen 11, 13, 1 10 

Engineer, 2n(l horse 65 

Eno, Amos, real estate, N. Y 64 

Episcopal Church in Leonard Street, corner of Churcli 

Street, in 1855 132 

Episcopal Church at Cold Spring Harbor, L. 1 69 

Episcopal Bishop of N. Y., Southern Diocese 133 

Episcopal Churches 100, 131, 134 

Episcopal Clergyman 69 

Equity, horse 96 

Equitable Life Assurance Society 30 



INDEX 203 

Erie Canal, N. Y. State 3 

Erie Railroad 105 

Espys, Mr 86 

Essex Market, N. Y 127 

Ethan Allen, horse 21 , 80, 81 

Ethan and Running Mate, horses 81 

Ethel, Agnes, actress 106, 107 

Et-tu-Bute 1 54 

Eytinge, Rose, actress 59, 104 

Eugene, wench dancer, minstrel 61, 107 

European steamers 16 

European songstress 88 

European news 17 

Eva, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Evarts, Wm. M., lawyer 113 

"Evangeline," drama 102 

"Evening Post," newspaper, N. Y 16 

Evening Star, steamship 14, 15 

Everdell, Wm., Capt. Old City Guard, Brooklyn 49 

Everett House, hotel, N. Y 114 

Excelsior Base Ball Club, Brooklyn 83, 84, 87 

Exchange Place, N. Y 20, 25, 26, 29 

"Extra," arrival of steamers, newspaper 16, 99 

Extra Place, N. Y 126 

F 

Fall River, Mass 16 

Fall River Steamboats 16 

Falstaff, character in drama 53 

Farragut, Admiral 61 

Farley, Rev. Dr., Unitarian Church, Brooklyn 58, 134 

Far Rockaway, L. 1 123 

Farnum, Noah, Lieut-Colonel Zouaves 51 

Farrar & Lyons, saloon, N. Y 23 

Fashion Race Track, L. 1 79, 80, 81, 82 

"Father, Dear Father," song 48 



204 INDEX 

Father of the N. Y. Bar 171 

Federal Government, U. S 3 

Fee Jee Mermaid, museum freak 32, 35 

Felter, Harry, Coney Island 81 

Felter's Hotel, Coney Island 2^ 

Fenian Headquarters, N. Y 114 

Ferguson, John, billiard room, Brooklyn 83 

Fernando Wood Democracy, N. Y 57 

Ferris, Edward, provisions, xM. Y 10 

Ferry Street, N. Y 127 

Field, Cyrus W., promoter, N. Y 4, 56, no, 136 

Field, David Dudley, lawyer, N. Y 21, 56 

Fields Building, Washington, D. C 51 

Fifteen and Seventeen Broadway, N. Y 13 

Fifteenth Street, N. Y 54, 55, 113, 114, 122, 133, 136, 173 

Fifteenth Street, West, N. Y 53 

Fifth Avenue, N. Y.. .9, 10, 28, 36, 44, 45, 50, 59, 98, no, iii, 

113, 114, 115, 116, 118, 122, 129, 132, 133, 136, 137 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 
I<^ 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 
F 



fth Avenue Hotel, K. Y 64, 108, 11$ 

fth Avenue Presbyterian Church, N. Y 133 

fth Avenue Stage Line, N. Y 42, 87 

fth Avenue Theatre, N. Y 106 

fth National Bank 42, 47 

fth Street, N. Y 10, 20 

fth Ward Hotel, N. Y 51 

fty-second Street. N. Y 45 

fty-third Street, N. Y 98 

fty-fifth Street, N. Y 133 

fth-ninth Street, N. Y 10, 28, 128 

nley's Half-Mile Race Track, N. Y 64 

nn. Archie, N. Y 29 

nn & Ruggles. hats and caps, N. Y 29 

nn police justice, N. Y 47 

re Dept. Volunteer System, N. Y 4, 34, 51, 89, 90 

re Dept. Vol. System, Brooklyn. . .7, 34, 37, 38, 39, 89, 91 

reman's Hall, Volunteer System, Brooklyn ;^y, 38, 40 

Fireman's Hall, Volunteer System, N. Y 109 



INDEX 205 

Fireman's Balls, Volunteer System, N. Y 57 

Fire Company House, City Hall Park, N. Y 32 

Fire Island, Long Island 123, 139, 140, 175 

First Avenue, N. Y 10, 99, 128, 133 

First Baptist Church, N. Y 134 

First Place, Brooklyn 1 34 

First Street, N. Y 10, 65, 126, 128 

Fish, Hamilton, N. Y 136 

Fish Preserved, marble cemetery monument 128 

Fisher, Charles, actor 59, 104 

Fisher & Bird, marble yard, N. Y 128 

Fischer, J. & C, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Fisk, Jr., James, colonel, N. Y 39, 102, 105 129 

Fisk. Josiah M., N. Y 9 

Fisk & Co., Josiah M., flour dealers, N. Y 7 

Five Bowling Green, N. Y. steamship offices 13 

Five-Engine Company "Protection," N. Y. Volunteer Fire 

Dept 35 

Five-Engine Company "Union," Brooklyn Volunteer Fire 

Dept 37, 90 

Five-Hose Company "Frontier," Brooklyn Volunteer Fire 

Dept 39, 40 

Five Points, N. Y 46 

Flagler, J. H., N. Y 8t 

Flaherty, Barnard (Barney Williams), actor 60 

Flanley. base ball player, Brooklyn 83 

Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn 19 

Flatbush Maid, mare 66 

Flatbush Road, Brooklyn 19, 96 

Fletcher, Phineas, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin". ... 33 

Fletcher, Rev. Charles, Brooklyn 134 

Fletcher, Charles M., Brooklyn 34 

Fleetwing, yacht 22 

Fleetwood Park Race Track, N. Y 12, 20, 97, 117, 118 

Fleetwood Park Club House, N. Y 118 

Floating Elevator 121 

Flora Temple, mare 79, 80, 81, 94 



2o6 INDEX 

Florence, William J. ( Billy), actor 60, 103, 104 

Florence, Mrs. William J., actress 60 

Florences Hotel, N. Y 53 

Florences restaurant, N. Y 98 

Florence road house, N. Y 1 19 

Florida, steamship 14 

Floyd, Benjamin, provisions, N. Y 10 

Floyd, General, Smithtown, L. 1 65 

Floyd, Robert, Inman steamer line, N. Y 14 

Floyd, W. R., actor 59 

Floyd-Jones, Elbert, farmer, L. 1 71, 92 

Floyd-Jones, George, Brooklyn 92 

Floyd-Jones, Henry O., State Senator, South Oyster Bay, 

L. 1 165 

Floyd- Jones Library, (Delancey), Massapequa, L. I.... 173 

Floyd- Jones, Thomas, General, Fort Neck, L. I.... 171, 173 

Floyd-Jones, W. Chauncey, stock broker, N. Y 95, 96, 97 

Flushing, L. 1 53, 70, 82 

Flushing Bay, L. 1 2, 97 

Flying Cloud, horse 8 

Flying Morgan, horse 21 

Flying Cloud, clipper ship 5, 8 

Force. John C, English ale house, Brooklyn 83 

Ford, Henry, bank teller, N. Y 27 

Ford's Theatre, Washington. D. C 100 

Fordham, N. Y 31 

Forrest, Edwin, actor 22, 52, 61, no 

Forrest's Company, actors 53 

Forster, W. R., flour merchant, N. Y 7 

Forsyth Street, N. Y 10, 128 

Fort Green, Brooklyn 90, 173 

Fort Neck, South Oyster Bay, L. 1 71, 143, 168, 174, 175 

Fort Moultrie 15 

Fort Sumter 14 

Fortescue, actor 105 

Forty-two Engine Co., Monument Trinity Church Yard, 

N. Y. Fire Dept. Volunteers 28 



INDEX 207 

Forty-first Street, N. Y 115, 116 

Forty-second Street, N. Y 41, 42, 43, 116, 122, 125, 128 

Forty- fourth Street, N. Y 11, 43, 45, 115, 132 

Forty-fifth Street, N. Y 132 

Forty-eighth Regiment, Brooklyn 49 

Fifty-ninth Street, N. Y 20 

Four Bridges to Brooklyn 138 

P'our-engine Co. "Eagle," Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Dept. 38 

F.jur Forty- four, Theatre, N. Y 57 

Four illustrations 173 

Four-Seventy-two B'-oadway, Theatre, N. Y 57, 58 

Four-Hose Co., "Crystal," Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Dept 40 

Fourth Avenue, N. Y. . .36, 43, 45, 107, 122, 132, 133, 134, 161 

Fourth Avenue Car Line, N. Y 43 

Fourth Avenue Stage Line, N. Y 41, 42 

Fourth Street, N. Y no, 114, 122, 125, 126, 132, 133 

Fourteen Engine, Fire Dept., Volunteers, N. Y 35 

Fourteen Engine, Fire Dept., Volunteers, Brooklyn 37 

Fourteen Hose Co., Fire Dej^t., Volunteers, Brooklyn, 

"Eureka" 40 

Fourteenth Regiment, Brooklyn 49 

Fourteenth Street, N. Y.54, 55, 97, 103, no, 113, 114, 132, 133 

Fowler, Wm. A., rice merchant, N. Y 18 

Fox, Charles R., actor 33 

Fo>, Mrs. Emly, actress 3< 

Fox, Frank, steamship agent 12 

Fox, George L., actor 46, 100 

Fox and Polhemus, ducking goods, N. Y 18 

France 29, 100 

Francklyn, C. G., agent Cunard Line steamships 14 

Francis & Loutrel, stationers, N. Y 56 

Franconi's Hippodrome, N. Y 64 

Frank Forrester, horse 80 

Frank Leslie's, illustrated newspaper 100, 125 

Frankfort Street, N. Y 44, 124, 127 

"Franklin" Engine Co., No. 3, Fire Dept. Volunteers, 

Brooklyn 37 



2o8 INDEX 

Franklin House, hotel, Brooklyn 8.^ 

Franklin Market, N. Y 127 

Franklin Street, N. Y 51, 54 

Franklin Square, N. Y 38 

Fraunces Tavern, X. Y 29 

Kred, horse 12 

Freehold, New Jersey 81 

Freeman's Road House, N. Y 118, 119 

Freeport, L. 1 83 

Fremont, John C, general 58 

French Roman Catholic Church, 23d St. near 6th Ave., 

N. Y 133 

French Line Steamships, N. Y 12 

French Pastry Cook Shop, N. Y 22 

French Steamship, N. Y 13 

Frenchmen 129 

French's Hotel, N. Y 44 

Front Street, N. Y 6, 8, 9, 126 

Front Street, Brooklyn 83 

Frothingham, Col., Brooklyn 49 

Frost, Charles, detective, Brooklyn 19 

"Frou-Frou," comedy 106 

Fuller, Lawson N., N. Y 64 

Fulton Avenue, Brooklyn 9, 19, 40, 1 19 

Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn 34, 40, 82, 83, 119 

Fulton Ferry, New York 42, 87 

Fulton, Rohert 28 

Fulton Market, N. Y 35, 63, 87, 127, 140, t66 

Fulton Market, butchers, N. Y 23 

Fulton Steamship 12 

Fulton Street, Brooklyn. 7, 10, 18, 19, 34, 37, 39, 40, 83, 87, 134 

Fulton Street Hill 40 

Fulton Street, Hempstead, L. 1 83 

Fulton Street, New York 

16, 21, 23, 31. 34, 35, 56, 59, 124, 127, 131, 133 
Furey, William H., chief engineer Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 37 



INDEX 209 

Fiirman Street, Brooklyn 39, 40 

Furnian Street Disaster, Brooklyn 39 

Furness, W. P 136 

G 

Galatea 155 

Gale & Bro., P. T., piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Gallaudet, Rev. Dr 132 

Galveston steamers 16 

Gannon, Mary, actress 59, 104, 105 

Garden City, L. 1 132 

Garden Street, Brooklyn 20 

Gardiner, Samuel, Gardiners Island, L. 1 92, 93 

Gardner, Lewis 39 

Garrisons, N. Y. State 123 

Gateway of America, N. Y 4 

Gay Street, N. Y 126 

General Butler, horse 81, 82 

General Grant, horse 82 

Genessee, horse 12 

Genet, Henry, N. Y 81 

Genin, John N., hatter, N. Y 4 

Genteel H., horse 29 

Genus Hobby 17-5 

George M. Patchen, horse 80, 81 

George Washington, packet ship 8 

George Wilkes, horse 81, 82 

Georgia, steamship 14 

Gerard, Florence, actress 107 

Gerken Building, N. Y 45 

Germans 5, 6, 129 

German Bankers 23 

Germany 5 

Germon, Effie, actress 59, 104 

Gormon, G. C., actor 33 

Germon, Mrs. G. C., actress 33 

16 



2IO INDEX 

Getty. Robert P., provisions lo 

Giants' Causeway 142 

Gilbert, John, actor 59, 104, 105 

Gilbert, Mrs. G. H., actress 104, 106 

Giles, John F., N. Y 36 

Gilgo, Inlet Great South Bay, L. 1 156, 172, 174 

Gilsey House, Hotel, N. Y 31 

Gimbel's Big Store, N. Y 42 

Gipsey, mare 66, 71 

Gipsy, character in comedy "Rosedale" 104 

Girard House, hotel, N. Y 45 

Glen Cove, L. 1 16, 102, 123 

Glentworth, James B., real estate & U. S. tobacco inspec- 
tor, N. Y 21 

Globe, horse 96 

Goddess Nature 160 

Godwin, Joseph, N. Y 81 

Goelet, Peter, N. Y 114, 136 

Goelet, Robert, N. Y 113, 136 

Goldsmith Maid, mare 81, 94 

Goold, David, restaurant, N. Y 21 

Goose Creek, Great South Bay, L. 1 163 

Goshen Half-Mile Race Track, N. Y. State 95, 96 

Goslings, restaurant, N. Y 53 

Gothams, base ball club, N. Y 83, 84 

Gothic Hall, N. Y 57 

Gould, Jay, stock broker, N. Y 20, 105 

Gould, P. T., light-house keeper, Montauk Point, L. I.. . 85 

Gould family 105 

Governor of the State of New York 109 

Governor Holt, horse 95, 96 

Governors Island, New York Bay 4, 95 

Gowanus Bay, Brooklyn 167 

Gowanus District, Brooklyn 40 

Grace & Co., W. R., shipping merchants, N. Y 8 

Grace Church-yard, Massapequa, L. 1 169 

Grace Church Episcopal, Broadway & loth St., N. Y.. 112, 132 



INDEX 211 

Grace Church, Episcopal, Brooklyn 134 

Grace Church, Grace Court, Brooklyn 134 

Gramercy Park, N. Y 56, 122 

Grainger, Maud, actress 107 

Grand Jury 108 

Grand Street, N. Y 10, 43, 47, 56, 59, 126, 127 

Grand Street Ferry, East River, N. Y 42 

Grand Street Stage Line, N. Y 42 

Granite State, steamboat , 15 

Grant, General U. S . . 50 

Grape Shot, clipper ship , 63 

Gravesend, L. 1 91 

Gravesend Race Track, L. 1 91 

Gray, Doctor John, N. Y no 

Great Barrington, Mass 92 

Great Eastern, horse 81, 118 

Great Eastern steamship 2, 4 

Great Jones Street, N. Y 125 

Great South Bay, L. 1 160, 164, 174 

Great Western Mutual (Marine) Ins. Co., N. Y 13, 24 

Grecian Bend in 

Great White Way, N. Y 62 

Greely, Horace, editor N. Y. "Tribune" 124 

Green Bay, Wisconsin 61 

Green, Colonel 9th Regiment, N. Y 129 

Green Street, N. Y 49, 54 

Green, Charley, track driver 91, 94, 117 

Green and Jessel, Union Course, L. I., rules 72 

Green, Lyman, Brooklyn 34 

Green Mountain Maid, mare 79 

Greenpoint, L. 1 121 

Greenwich Avenue, N. Y 126 

Greenwich Avenue Public School, N. Y 38 

Greenwich Point, L. 1 83 

Greenwich Savings Bank, N. Y 55 

Greenwich Street, N. Y 44, 45, 56, 59, no, 125, 126, 127 

Greenwich Village, 9th Ward, N. Y 65, 126 



212 INDEX 

Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn 53, 60, 83, 103 

Grey, Elliot, character in comedy "Rosedale" 104, 105 

Grey Eagle, horse 66, 68, 70 

Grey Eddy, horse 79 

Grey Messenger, horse 12 

Griffin, G. W., minstrel 58 

Griffith, John R., merchant, N. Y 11 

Grinnell, Moses H., Prest. Sun Marine Ins. Co., N. Y..24, 113 

Grinnell, Minturn & Co.. shipping merchants, N. Y 8 

Griswold, C. A., proprietor 5th Ave. Hotel, N. Y 81 

Grogan, Phil, oyster honse, Brooklyn 83 

Grove & Christopher, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Guaranty Trust Co., N. Y 30 

Guard Lafayette, N. Y 129 

Guerins, pastry baker, Broadway, N. Y 22 

Guion, Rev. Dr., Rector St. Johns Church, Brooklyn 107 

Guion Steamship Company, N. Y 13 

Guion, Wm. H., shipping merchant, N. Y 13 

Gumj)tion Cute, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Gunther, C. G., furs, N. Y 28 

Gurster, opera singer 103 

Guy, horse 118 

Gwathmey, A. G., cotton broker, N. Y 92 

H 

Hackett, actor 53 

Hagerman & Co., clothing, N. Y 56 

Haggerty, John, N. Y 136 

Haight, Mrs., N. Y 114 

Haight, Richard K 136 

Haines Bros., piano manufacturers, N. Y 55, 62, 108 

Haines Piano Factory, N. Y 115, 121 

Haines, Francis W., piano manufacturer and bank direc- 
tor, N. Y 42 

Haines, Napoleon J., piano manufacturer and bank presi- 
dent, N. Y 42 



INDEX 213 

Hall, A. Oakey, mayor of New York 108 

Hall, General, N. Y. State militia 47 

Hall, Isaac, ship chandler, N. Y 6 

Hall of Records, N. Y 32 

Hall & Sons, sheet music publishers, N. Y 55 

Hall Street, N. Y 127 

Hall's Baths, Battery Park, N. Y 6 

Haley, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Halifax, North Carolina 93 

Hallock, Fit? Greene, writer 21 

Halsted & Co., provisions, N. Y 10, 11 

Hamblin, Tom. actor 22 

Hambletonian, horse 81, 92, 93 

Hamilton, Alexander, monument. Trinity Church-yard, 

N. Y 28, 172 

Hamilton Ferry, Brooklyn 53 

Hamilton half-mile race track, N. Y 68 

Hamilton Park, 3d Ave. and 66th Street, N. Y 122 

Hamilton, Philip, N. Y 172 

Hamilton Street, N. Y 126 

Hammond, W., jeweler, N. Y 25 

Hancock Street, N. Y 124, 126 

Hanover Bank, N. Y 25, 27 

Hanover Building, N. Y 25 

Hanover Square, N. Y 25 

Hanover Street, N. Y 24, 25 

Hanson Place, Brooklyn 135 

Happy Family, museum freaks, N. Y 32, 33 

Harbeck, John H., storage, N. Y 81, 116, 136 

Harbeck's Stores, Brooklyn 7 

Harker, Joseph, stock broker, N. Y 80 

Harkins, Dan, actor 61, 106 

Harlem, N. Y. city 129 

Harlem Lane, N. Y. City 9, 43, 68, 118 

Harlem Railroad, N. Y. City 45 

Harlem River, N. Y. City 16, 117, 138 

Harlem Stage Line, N. Y 42 



214 INDEX 

Harlem, steamboat i6 

Harrigan & Hart, actors, N. Y io6 

FTarrigan, Fxlward, actor and manager, N. Y io6 

Harriott & Co., flour merchants, N. Y 7 

Harrison, Mrs. Burton, N. Y 173 

Harrison, Gabriel, actor, N. Y 87, 88 

Harrison, Maud, actress 107 

Harrison, Street 127 

Harrison, Thomas, provisions, N. Y 18 

Haring, Cornelia 126 

Haring, Elbert 126 

Haring Street 126 

Harmony, Peter 136 

Harmonys, Nephews P., ship agents, N. Y 8 

Harper & Bros., publishers, N. Y 38 

Harper's Weekly, newspaper, N. Y 125 

Hart, Henry, pawn broker, N. Y 43 

Hart, Tony, actor 106 

Hartford. Conn 82 

Hartford Line steamboats 15 

Hartshorn's English ale house, Brooklyn 83 

Harris, George, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Harriet Lane, Revenue Cutter, U. S 60 

Harrington (Geo. Christy), minstrel 57 

Harry Hill's dance house, N. Y 97, 108 

Harry Plummer, horse 92 

Harvest Queen, packet ship 8 

Hasbrouck, steamboat 15 

Hathaway, actor 32 

Haughwout & Co., China, bronzes, etc., N. Y 56 

Haughwout, E. v., N. Y 56 

Havana Line, steamers 14 

Havana, Cuba 15, 19 

Havemeyer & Elder, sugar refiners, N. Y 8 

Havermeyers, L. L Sound Shore 123 

Haverlock, Sir Henry, English Army 17 

Hawes, Wm. P., newspaper correspondent, N. Y 140 



INDEX 215 

Hawks, Rev. Dr. Calvary Church, N. Y 132 

Hays, Jacob, bank president, N. Y 21 

Hays, William, bank president, N. Y 21 

"Hazel Kirke," comedy 106 

Hazleton and Bros., piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Hearns, Retail Dry Goods, N. Y 56 

Heber, Bishop, N. Y 153 

Heckers, flour mills, N. Y 7 

Hector, horse 66 

Heenan, John Camel, pugilist 98 

Hegeman, Alanson Wilson, Vice-Prest. Ins. Co. (Marine) 24 

Heidseick, wine 119 

Hell Gate, East River, N. Y 16 

Helmbold, Doctor, druggist, N. Y 39 

Helmbold's Buchu, patent medicine 39 

Hemenway & Beverage, sail makers, N. Y 9 

Hempstead, L. 1 12, 53, 67, 82, 83, 86, 88 

Hempstead Plains, L. 1 65, 67, 220 

Hendricks family 116 

Hendricks, Mr., N. Y 136 

Hendrickson, John, L. 1 97 

Henrietta, yacht 22 

Henriques family, N. Y 59 

Henriques, Madeline, actress 59, 104 

Henry, Sir, horse 93 

Henry, trotting horse 66, 118 

Henry Street, Brooklyn . . . .2y, 37, 38, 40, 48, 89, 91, 134, 135 

Henry Street, N. Y 36, 37, 126 

Henry, Mike, ale house, Brooklyn 83 

"Herald," newspaper, N. Y 16 

"Herald," building, N. Y 64 

"Herald" Office 34 

Herndon, Captain 15 

"Hern, The Hunter," drama 52 

Hero, horse 66, 80 

Heron, Matilda, actress 60 

Herring, Fanny, actress 46 



2i6 INDEX 

Herring Street, N. Y 126 

Herter, furniture manufacturer, N. Y 108 

Heth, Joyce, Negress, museum freak 32, 35 

Hewitt, Abram S., mayor, N. Y 56 

Hewletts, Steve, hotel, Hempstead, L. 1 67, 82 

Hicksite (Quaker) 141 

Hicks, Albert VV., the pirate, 137 

Hicks Street, Brooklyn 5, 40 

Hicksville, L. 1 139, 175 

"Hidden Hand," drama 32 

High Ball, horse 29 

High Bridge, N. Y 16 

High Street, Brooklyn 34, 37, 38, 40, 83, 134 

Highland Light, steamboat 123 

Highland Maid, mare 79 

Hill, Harry, theatre, N. Y 108 

Hilton, Henry, judge, N. Y 106 

"History of the American People," (book) 32 

"History of Long Island," (book) 65 

"History of City of New York," (book) 172 

Hitchcock's Restaurant, N. Y 22 

Hoagland, Sim, track driver 9r 

Hoagland and Bogart, flour dealers, N. Y 7 

Hoagland's road house, East New York, L. 1 9, 112 

Hoboken, New Jersey 22, 84. 94 

Hoey, John, Prest. Adams Express Co., N. Y 49 

Hoey, John Mrs., actress 59. 60, 104, 105 

Hoffman, John T., recorder, mayor, governor 108, 109 

Hogan, Edward, judge, N. Y 47 

Holy Trinity Church, Episcopal, Brooklyn 134 

Holland, Edward, mayor of N. Y 9 

Holland, George, actor 100 

Holt & Co., flour dealers, N. Y 7 

Home Guard, Brooklyn 49 

Hone, Philip, mayor of N. Y no, 137 

Honest Allen, horse 21 

Honest Dutchman, horse 91 



INDEX 217 

Honest John, horse 66 

Honey Bee, No. 5 Engine N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dept 35 

Hooley's Theatre, Chicago, 111 88 

Hooley's Minstrels, Brooklyn 88 

Hoopskirts no 

Hope Chapel, N. Y 107, 1 10, 134 

Hopkins, Mr., road driver, N. Y 49 

Hosford & Co., stationers, N. Y 55 

Hosford, Henry, Brooklyn 34 

Hotels 166 

Houghton, Rev. Dr., N. Y 100, 132 

House of Commons, ale and chop house, N. Y 97 

House of Lords, ale and chop house, N. Y 97 

Houston Street, N. Y. . .10, 11, 21, 39, 47, 57, 63, 97, 99, 103, 

108. 109, no, 126, 128, 131 

Houston Street, West, N. Y 126 

Howard, Cordelia, actress 33 

Howard, Frank, steamer agent, N. Y 18, 19 

Howard House, hotel, N. Y 31 

Howard. George C, actor ^^ 

Howard, Mrs. George C, actress 33 

Howard, Harry, Chief Engineer N. Y. Vol. Fire Dept.. 36 

Howard, Lewis, dry goods, N. Y 18 

Howard Street, N. Y 56 

Howland, Gardiner, N. Y 13'') 

Howland and Aspinwall, ship agents, N. Y 8 

Howland and Frothingham, ship agents, N. Y 8 

Howland's Hotel, Long Branch, N. J 123 

Howsen, John, actor 104 

Hoymes Theatre, Bowery, N. Y 98 

Hoyt & Co., Seymour, jewelers, N. Y 59 

Hoyt Street, Brooklyn 40 

Huckleberry Frolics, Long Island 67 

Hudson River, N. Y 29, 113, 123 

Hudson River R. R., Depot, N. Y., College Place and 

Chambers Street 44, 122 

Hudson Street, N. Y 43, 44, 45, 127. 128, 132 



2i8 INDEX 

iiughes, John, Rt. Rev., Roman Catholic Archbishop.) 15, 133 

Hughes, Archie, minstrel 88 

Humane Ho.se Co., No. 20 N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dcpt... 35 

Humphrey, William, N. Y 91 

"Humpty Dumpty," pantomine loi 

Hunt, George, Brooklyn 12, 92 

Hunts Point, L. I. Sound, N. Y 123 

Hunter, William, Brooklyn 92 

Hunters Point, L. 1 52 

Huntington, L. 1 12, 67, 174, 175 

Huntington, L. I., patents 174, 175 

Huntington, Rev. Dr., rector Grace Church, N. Y 132 

Huntington Race Track, L. 1 67 

Huntington, South, L. 1 82 

Huntington's "F'amily," L. I. Sound Shore 123 

Huntsville, steamship 14 

Hutchinson, Lightning Calculator, museum attraction... 32 

Hyde, Henry B., Pre.st. Equitable Life Ins. Co., N. Y. . . . 30 

Hyde Park, L. 1 65 

Hyer, Tom, pugilist 112 

'T die a true American" (last words of Bill Poole) 63 

Illinois State 5, 22 

Illustrated copy of Original Patents 175 

Illuminated Sign 62 

Immigration Commissioner 42 

Imported Chestnut Diomed, horse 94 

Imported Messenger, horse, runner 65 

Imported Trustee, horse 3 

Independence, horse 66 

Independence, Iowa State 11 

Independent Politically 124 

India 17 

Indian 160 

Indian Mutiny 60 

Indiana, State 5 

Ingen (Indian) 144 

Indians 174 



INDEX 219 

Inman Line Steamships 12, 14 

International Hotel, N. Y 44 

Invincible, packet ship 8 

Inwood, N. Y 49 

Iowa, State 5' ^ ^ 

Ireland, British Isle 5 

Ireland's, John "Star," ale and chop house, N. Y 54 

Irish 6, 63 

Irish Birth or Parentage 129 

Irish Dwarf 113 

Irish Man 9^ 

Irish Packers, provisions 18 

Irving, George, N. Y 114, 115 

Irving House, hotel, N. Y 5^ 

Irving, James, butcher and assemblyman, N. Y 62, 80 

Irving Place, N. Y 103, 122 

Irving, Washington, writer 115 

Irwin, Mary (May), actress 61 

Isaac Newton, steamboat 15 

Isaac Webb, packet ship 8 

Isabella Jewett, schooner 63 

Isaacs, Charley, police officer, MacCombs Dam Bridge, 

N. Y 117 

Isaacs, Robert, pilot. East Hampton, L. 1 85 

IseUn Family, New Rochelle on L. I. Sound 123 

Isle of Trees, Queens County, L. 1 65 

Isle of Manhattan, N. Y 50 

Isle of Wight, English Channel 22 

IsHp, Suffolk County, L. 1 123 

"Ixion," spectacular opera (comic) 6t 

J 

Jack Cade, horse 12 

Jack, John, actor 53 

Jack Rossiter, horse 66 

"Jack Sheppard," drama 46 



220 INDEX 

Jack Waters, horse 79 

Jackson, Andrew, President of the U. S 3 

Jackson Avenue, L. I. City 79 

Jackson Famihes, L. 1 174, 175 

Jackson, Thomas, L. 1 92 

Jackson, James W., Alexandria, Va 51 

Jackson, Timothy, L. 1 97 

Jackson, Samuel, L. 1 92 

Jacob Street, N. Y 1 27 

Jacob A. Stamler, packet ship 8 

Jaffray, J. R., N. Y 28 

Jamaica, L. 1 47, 53, 65, 67, 71, 82, 85, 94, 97, 1 19 

Jamaica Turnpike, L. 1 67 

James, Hat Store, N. Y 53 

James and Holstrom, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Jamestown, steamship 14 

Jamieson, Mrs., actress 32 

James G. Carey, steam propeller fire engine, N. Y. Fire 

Dept. Volunteers Zl 

James K. Polk, horse 66 

Janesville, horse 20 

Janus, horse 94 

Japanese Troupe, acrobats 62 

Jardincs, organ builders, N. Y 55 

Jarret & Palmer, theatrical managers 61 

Jaunceys Court, Wall Street, N. Y 24 

Jay, John, governor, N. Y 172 

Jay Eye See, horse 117- ^ ' ^ 

Jay Gould, horse 96 

Jay Street, N. Y 126 

Jay Street, Brooklyn 37, 40, 49, 134 

Jefiferson, Joseph, actor 59' ^00 

Jefferson Market, N. Y 63, 127 

Jefferson Market, bell tower, N. Y 60 

Jennings, Harry, dog and rat pit, bar saloon, N. Y 54 

Jennings & Co., W. J., clothing house, Broadway, N. Y. . . 38 

Jeremiah Thompson, packet ship 8 



INDEX 221 

Jerolemon Street, Brooklyn 40, i34, I35 

Jerome, Lawrence, stock broker, N. Y 8i 

Jerome, Leonard, stock broker, N. Y 80 

Jersey City, New Jersey i^' ^4 

Jersey Lily (Mrs. Langtry), actress io« 

Jersey Shore, N.J 5/ 

Jersey Street, N. Y ^^^ 

Jerseymen ^ 

Jerusalem, Long Island ^39. ^^ 

Jerusalem Lane, Long Island ^^^ 

Jerusalem Road, Long Island ^^^ 

Jerusalem, South, Long Island i39, 168, 174, i75 

""Jessie Brown, or The Siege of Lucknow," drama 59 

Jewell, Harrison & Co., provisions. N. Y 10, iS 

Jewell Flour Mills, Brooklyn 7 

Jewett, Sara, actress ^°7 

Jewish Graveyard 

lockev Club, Baltimore, Maryland 7^ 

i , 62 

Jocko, ape 

Joe Patchen, horse 

John of Gaunt ■■■ ^^i 

John Morgan, horse ^ ' 

John R. Gentry, horse ^ ^7 

John Street, N. Y 59,90, 127 

John G. Storm, propeller fire engine, steamer, N. Y 37 

Johnson Building, Broad Street, N. Y 25 

Johnson, Rev. E. M., Brooklyn 1°/ 

Johnson, Frederick, veterinarian and real estate, N. Y.. .. 12 

Johnson, George Forrest, real estate, N. Y 1,12, 13 

Johnson, J. H., jeweler, N. Y S^ 

Johnson, E. L.. actor 59 

Johnson, stage proprietor 4^ 

Johnson Street, Brooklyn 83, 107, I34, I35 

Jchnson, WiUiam R., Baltimore, Md 94 

Johnston, T. B., actor 59 

Jolly Roger, horse 94 

Jones, Aaron, pugilist 9 



222 INDEX 

Jones Alley, Bond Street to Great Jones Street, N. Y.. . . 125 

Jones, Commodore, hotel, Brooklyn 83 

Jones, Claremont, road house, N. Y 49, 50, 64, 118 

Jones, Cornelia Haring (Mrs. Samuel) 126 

Jones. Daniel Youngs, farmer, L. 1 69, 71 

Jones, David, farmer, L. 1 69, 90, 91 

Jones, David S., lawyer, N. Y 169, 171, 172, 173 

Jones, David W., fanner, L. 1 69 

Jones families, L. 1 174, 175 

Jones, Gardner, Dr., N. Y 125, 126 

Jones, G-eneral, L. I., State Senator Queens County. . . . 165 

Jones, George, actor (The Count Johannes) loi 

Jones, George, editor New York "Times" 125 

Jones, Harry, Vauxhall Garden 63 

Jones, Horace, track driver 81, 91, 94, 109 

Jones, John D., president Ins. Co., N. Y 24 

Jones, John O., N. Y 52, 13G 

Jones, John Q., family, N. Y 52 

Jones, Mrs., actress, N. Y 46 

Jones, Oliver H., N. Y 136 

Jones Street, N. Y 125 

Jones, Samuel, judge, N. Y 126, 171 

Jones, Townsend, secretary Ins. Co., N. Y 24 

Jones, William, major, farmer, L. 1 3. 69, 70, 71, 171 

Jones, William, Old House, West Neck, L. 1 169, 171 

Jones, "Young" 1 50 

Joneses Lane, Front to South Street, N. Y 126 

Joneses, Jerusalem Quaker family 168 

Joneses Beach, L. 1 140, 174 

Joneses Woods, foot East 72d St., N. Y 122 

Joneses Restaurant, Fulton St., N. Y 21 

Joones, Mi.star 172 

Jordan, George, actor 10 1 

Joseph Walker, packet ship 8 

Judge, character in comedy "Solon Shingle" 60 

Judge Fullerton, horse 81, 91 

Julia, yacht 22 



INDEX 223 

"Jwliiis Caesar," drama 102, 109 

Jupiter, horse 66, 71, 80, 92, 93 

Justice 62 

K 

Kalbfleisch, Martin, mayor of Brooklyn 91 

Kansas, State 5 

Kansas City, Mo 11 

Kate, mare 168 

Keene, Laura, actress 103 

Kellogg, Clara Louise, opera singer 103 

Kellys, John, N. Y 34 

Kelly and Leons, minstrels, N. Y 107 

Kelly, Richard, Judge, N. Y 42, 47 

Kemble Jackson, horse 66 

Kennedy, John A., chief of police, N. Y 47 

Kennedy Mansion, N. Y 18 

Kentucky, State 82 

Kentucky Chief, horse 66 

Keokuk, Iowa 11 

Kermitt & Carow, ship agents, N. Y 8 

Kerner, Charles, hotel proprietor, N. Y 80, 92 

Kernochan, James, N. Y 137 

Ketcham, Ira, Brooklyn 34 

Kettletas, Eugene, N. Y 136 

Kill von Kull, New York Bay 5 

Kilpatrick, Thomas, N. Y 81 

King Chimes, horse 95, 96 

King & Co., Peter V., shipping merchants, N. Y 8 

King Direct, horse 95 

King Edward of England 60 

King, John A., Governor of N. Y 47 

King Street, N. Y 10, 126 

Kingan & Co., provisions, N. Y 18 

Kings County, L. 1 53, 118 

Kings Bridge Hotel, N. Y 50 



224 INDEX 

Kings Bridge Road, N. Y 31, 50 

Kingsland & Sutton, D. & A. ship agents, N. Y 8 

Kingsland, A. C 136 

Kingsland, Elisha, Asst. Engineer N. Y. Volunteer Fire 

Dept 36 

Kingsland, Elisha, Chief Engineer N. Y. Fire Dept. (new 

system ) 36, 37 

Kingston, N. Y 15 

Kip. Colonel, N. Y 20 

Kip, stage proprietor, N. Y 42 

Knapp, George, provisions, N. Y 10 

Knapp, Robert, provisions, N. Y 10 

Knapp, Sheppard F., Banker, N. Y 20, 81 

Knickerbocker Ice Co., N. Y 99 

Knickerbocker Trust Co., N. Y 115 

Knickerbockers, base ball club, N. Y 83, 84 

Knight, Thomas T., Brooklyn 34, 63 

Know Nothings, Political Organization, N. Y 124 

Kossuth, Hungarian Patriot 3 

Koster & Bials, concert room. N. Y 99 

Knox's Hat Store, N. Y 31, 34 

Kranich & Bach, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

L 

Lady Anne, mare 92 

Lady Blanche, bay mare 92 

Lady Blanche, gray mare 71, 112 

Lady Brooks, mare 79 

Lady Collins, mare 82 

Lady Dahlman. mare 12 

Lady Emma, mare 66, 80, 81, 82 

Lady Franklin, mare 80 

Lady Macbeth, character in drama 102 

Lady Mac, mare 96 

Lady Moscow, mare 66 

Lady Palmer, mare 66. 96 



INDEX 225 

Lady Shannon, mare 82 

Lady Suffolk, mare 64, 65, 66, 68. 79, 82, 85, 93, 94, 96 

Lady Sutton, mare 66 

Lady Thorn, mare 81, 82 

Lady Victory, mare 66 

Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 135 

Lafayette General 3 

Lafayette Hall, N. Y 63, 64 

Lafayette Place, N. Y 109, 1 10, 132, 135, 136 

Lafayette Street, N. Y 126 

Lafarge House, N. Y 102 

La Grange, opera singer 103 

Laight Street, N. Y 45 

Laimbeers Stores, Brooklyn 7 

Lake George, N. Y. State 123 

Lake Mahopac, N. Y. State 124 

Lake & McCreery, retail dry goods, N. Y 56 

Lamb, J. & R., church decorations, N. Y 55 

Lamb, Martha J., Mrs., historian, N. Y 172 

Lancet, horse 80 

Lane, Lamson & Co., dry goods, N. Y 28 

Lane, Maltby G., grain dealers, N. Y 43 

Lane & Mangam, flour and grain, N. Y 7 

Lane, & Co., Nathan, stationers, N. Y 55 

Langham Hotel, N. Y 46 

Langley & Co., W. C, dry goods, N. Y 53 

Langley, W. H., dry goods, N. Y 22, 34, 53 

Langtry, Lily, actress 108 

Latham 160 

Lathers, Richard, Prest. Ins. Co., N. Y 24 

Lating 143 

Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) loi 

Latting Observatory, N. Y 43 

La Torreate House, Bergen Point, N. J 123 

Laura Keene's New Theatre, N. Y 100 

Laura Keene's Varieties, N. Y loi 

Laura Keene 100 

17 



226 INDEX 

Laurens Street, N. Y 54 

Law, George, Prest. 8th Avenue Railroad Co., N. Y 

43, 63, 81, 136 

Law, George, Jr 43 

Lawrence, Fred, stock broker, N. Y 20 

Lawrence, Giles, & Co., exporters, N. Y 36 

Lawrence, James, Captain U. S. Frigate Chesapeake, Mon- 
ument Trinity Church-yard, N. Y 28 

Lawrence, Leonard W., Smithtown, L. 1 65 

Lawrence Street, Brooklyn 135 

Leacraft, Jeremiah, merchant, N. Y 7 

"Leah," drama 102 

Leahy, Patrick, Brooklyn '^'j 

LeBoutilliers. retail dry goods, N. Y 56 

Lee, Wm. A 40 

Lefferts, Marshall colonel 7th Regiment, N. Y 48, 129 

Leffingwell, actor and manager 106 

Legislature, N. Y 165, 166 

Legree, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Leggett, Fred & Joseph, butter and cheese dealers, N. Y.. 9 

Leggett, Isaac, Brooklyn 37 

Leggett, Joseph, Brooklyn 18, 48, 83 

Leggett's Restaurant, N. Y 23 

Leigh, Rosa, character in "Rosedale" 104 

Lelands, New Rochelle 123 

Lemoyne, W. J., actor 33 

Lenox, James, 53 Fifth Avenue, N. Y 114, 136 

Lenox, Mass 123 

Lent, stage proprietor, N. Y 42 

Leonard Street N. Y 29, 53, 54, 126 

Lentners 152 

Leucothoe 1 55 

Leverich, Charles P., bank president, N. Y 25 

Levick, Milnes, actor 109 

Levy, cornetist, Brooklyn 88 

Lewis Forrest, horse 96 

Lewis, James, actor 59, 106 



INDEX 227 

Lewis Publishing Co., N. Y 65 

Lexington Avenue N. Y 36, 56, 136 

Libby Prison, Richmond, Va 49 

Libby, WilHam, N. Y 49 

Liberty Place, N. Y 126 

Liberty Pole, N. Y 51 

Liberty Street 16. 17, 21, 23, 30, 55, 80, 124, 126 

Liederkranz, German Society, N. Y 57 

Light Guard, N. Y 63, 129 

Light Guard, Brooklyn 49 

Lillienthal's, snuff and tobacco, N. Y 38 

Limnades I55 

Lind, Jenny, opera singer 3, 52 

Lindeman & Son, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Lincoln, Abraham, president U. S 41, 100 

Lincoln and Hamblin, presidential candidates i860 58 

Lingard, Horace, actor 107, 1 1 1 

Link & Co., Fred K., provisions, N. Y 10 

Linus Islands, Great South Bay, L. 1 162 

Lippincott & Co., slaughterers, N. Y 11 

Lispenard Meadows, N. Y 65 

Lispenard, S., N. Y 136 

Lispenard Street, N. Y 54, 56 

"Listen to the Mocking Bird," song 48 

Little All Right, Japanese acrobat 62 

Little, Charles 65 

Little Dick, horse 92 

Little Jacob, stock broker, N. Y 21 

Little Mac, dwarf 113 

Littlejohn, Rev. Dr., Rector Holy Trinity Church, Brook- 
lyn 134 

Liverpool, England 8, 13 

Liverpool, packet-ship 8 

Liverpool, packets 7 

Livingston, Anson, N. Y 80 

Livingston Place, N. Y 131, 134 

Livingston Street, Brooklyn 134 



228 INDEX 

Lockett & Co., John, provisions, Brooklyn lo 

Locus, Ned Hh H9, ^S'^, i54- i55. 156 

Lohman, Dr., N. Y 45 

Q 

London, packet-ship ° 

London Packets 7 

Long Branch, steamboat ^^3 

Long Branch, New Jersey 123 

Long Lsland, N. Y.. .3, 5, 12, 19, 2a 24, 25, 29, 53, 60, 65, 67 
69, 70, 71, 72, 79, 82, 85, 88, 92, 93, 94, 97. 100, 102, 
109, 112, 118, 123, 132, 139, 141, 160, 161, 171, 173' 174 

Long Island Black Hawk, horse 66 

Long Island City, L. 1 52 

Long Island Railroad 52, 93- U9 

Long Island Sound 2, 123 

Long Island Star ^^ 

Long Island Yankee ^7 

Long Islanders ^^ 

Long John, Ellsworth's Zouaves, Chicago, 111 5° 

Long, Lemuel, near Halifax, North Carolina 93 

Lords Court ^° 

Lord & Taylor, retail dry goods, N. Y 5^ 

"Lord Bateman," song ^04, io5 

Lord Dundreary, character in "The American Cousin," 

comedy i°° 

Lorillard, Peter ^36 

Lorillard, Pierre, N. Y 20. 22 

Lorillards, Barettos Pomt, N. Y • 123 

Lotta, actress ^°^ 

Lotta, mare ^9 

Lovejoy's Hotel, N. Y 44 

Love Lane, Brooklyn 40. 1 19 

Lovell, William 9i 

Lotos Club, N. Y 99 

Lou Dillon, mare 95 

Lowery, R. H., bank cashier, N. Y 27 

Lowe (Broadway Bridge) ■ 3^ 

Low & Bro., A. A., shipping merchants, N. Y 8 



INDEX 229 

Low, A. A., Brooklyn ^37 

Lucca, opera singer ^°3 

Luce, captain of steamship Arctic ^3 

Ludlow Street, N. Y 127 

"Lucia," opera ^^3 

Lucky, Robert, Brooklyn 34 

Lucknow, India ^7 

Lucy Gernent, mare ^ ^7 

Lutheran Church, New York ^34 

Lyie, James, insurance officer, N. Y. 24 

Lyons, Lord, English minister 60 

M 

Mac, horse ^^' 79 

Macdougall Street, N. Y 3^ 

Mace, Ben 9i 

Mace, Dan 12, 91, 94 

MacCombs Dam Bridge, N. Y 1 17 

Machines ( for Gunners) i^S 

Mackay, F. P., actor io7 

Macy, Josiah ^^ 

Macy Building, N. Y 64 

Macy's Sons, Josiah, lard refiners, N. Y 8 

Madison Avenue, N. Y 

20, 42, 100, 115, 118, 122, 132, 137, 138 

Madison Avenue Stage Line, N. Y 4i 

Madison Cottage Road House, N. Y 64 

Madison Square Garden. N. Y 45 

Madison Square Park, N. Y "6, 122 

Madison Square, N. Y ^ ^5 

Madison Street, N. Y 126 

Maid of Suffolk mare 93 

Maiden Lane, N. Y 21, 28, 31, 34, 126 

Maidens Prayer drama ^^^ 

"Maidens Vow," drama 32 



230 INDEX 

Maillards, Henry, ice cream saloon and candy makers, 

N. Y 97 

Main Street, Brooklyn };] 

Main Street, Hempstead, L. 1 12, 67, 82, 83 

Maison Doree, restaurant, N. Y 54, 113 

Maitland, Phelps & Co., shipping merchants, N. Y 8 

Majolica, horse 117 

Major Delmar, horse 95 

Malcolm, Robert, printer, N. Y 34 

Mallory Line Steamers 16 

Mambrino Chief, horse 82 

"Man and Wife," comedy 106 

Manhattan Bank, N. Y 26, 159 

Manhattan Island, N. Y 6, 50, 118, 122 

Manley, base ball player, Brooklyn 87 

Mansion House, hotel, Long Branch, N.J 123 

Marble, Manton, editor N. Y. "World," (newspaper)... 124 

March 164 

Marcus Antonius, character in drama "Julius Caesar"... 109 

Marcus Junius Brutus, character in drama "Julius Caesar" 109 

Margaret O, mare 29. 97 

Maria, yacht 22 

Marietta Street, N. Y 126 

Marine Bank, N. Y 25 

Markham, Pauline, actress 61 

Market Street, N. Y 8 

Marketfield Street, N. Y 29 

Marks, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," 33 

Marquise, character in "Caste" 104 

Marquise, character in comedy "Rosedale" 105 

Marshall & Co., C. H., shipping agents 8 

Marshall. Oliver, stage proprietor, N. Y 42, 81 

Marshall, William T., provisions, N. Y 10 

Marshall House, Alexandria, Va 51 

Mary Powell, steamboat 15 

Mary's Island, Massapequa Lake, L. 1 170 

Maryland, State 15, 26, 49, 71 



INDEX 231 

Mason, Charles S 34 

Mason, Thos. F 34 

Mason Family, N. Y 52 

Masonic Hall, N. Y 52 

Massachusetts, State 57, 92, 143 

Massapequa, L. 1 71, 172, 173 

Massapequa Lake, L. 1 169, 171 

Massapequa Trotting Track, L. 1 67, 170, 175 

Massapequa House, L. 1 69 

Massey, Fred'k S., Brooklyn 18, 37 

Masters Stores, Brooklyn 7 

Mate, Running, horse 81 

Mate, Trotting, horse 12 

Mather, Margaret, actress 61 

Matthews, Charles, actor 102 

Matthews, Edward, N. Y 137 

Matthews, hotel proprietor, N. Y 56 

Matthews, Pat, pugilist 98 

Matowacs, L. 1 160, 161, 166, 167 

Mattlage, C. F., provisions, N. Y 10 

Mattsell, George W., chief of police, N. Y 47 

Maud, mare 97 

Maud S., mare 94, 96 

May Bird, mare 12 

Mayor, city official 47, 108, 109 

Mayor's pups 47 

M. P. (police) 6, 47 

Mayor of New York 22, 36, 108 

Mayor of Brooklyn 49 

Mayorality 109 

Mazeppa," drama 53 

McAlpin, tobacconist, N. Y 38 

McCready, N. L., N. Y 104 

McCready & Co., N. L., ship agents, N. Y 8 

McCready, actor (England) no 

McCollough, John, actor 109 

McCloskey, Rev. Dr., rector 134 



232 INDEX 

McDonald, Mr., Baltimore, Md 80, 81 

McDonald, Mrs., Baltimore, Md 80 

McDougall Street 126 

McKay, Steele, actor 106 

McKenna, Miles, Gipsy in comedy "Rosedale" 105 

McGibney, Michael, Brooklyn 40 

McGowan, steamship captain 14 

McLaughlin, Sam, track driver, L. 1 91, 94 

McLaughlin (Paudeen), Bill Poole fracas 62 

McMann, James D., Stable Hunters Point, L. 1 80, 82, 94 

Mead & Co., Ralph, wholesale grocers, N. Y 9 

Mealios, hatter, N. Y 53 

Meccas 31 

Mechanic Hose Co., No. 8 N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dept. . . . 18 

Mechanic Street, N. Y 126 

Mechanics Bank, N. Y 25 

Mechanics Library Hall, N. Y 57, 135 

Meday, C. H., provisions, N. Y 10 

"Medea," drama 60 

Medoc, trotting horse 81 

Medoc, running horse 81 

Meg Merrilles, character in drama 61 

Mehlin, piano manufacturer, N. Y 55 

Meinell, James, L. I 100, 137 

Melita 155 

Melodeon, Concert Hall, N. Y 99 

Melville, circus rider 62 

Memoirs 139 

Menken, Ada Isaacs, actress 52, 53 

Mercantile Library Association, N. Y 4. no. 135 

Mercantile Mutual Ins. Co. (marine), N. Y 24 

Mercer Street, N. Y 21, 54, 56, 59, 63, 97, 109, 136 

Merchants Banks. N. Y 25 

Merchants Exchange, N. Y 25 

Merchants Hotel. N. Y 31 

Merrill, George P.. dry goods merchant. N. Y 34 

Merritt, John J., Brooklyn 40 



INDEX 22,^ 

Mermaid, L. I I39 

Mermaids 141 

Merman, L. I I39 

Mermans 141 

Meschutts, restaurant, N. Y 21 

Messenger, horse 65 

Messenger Duroc, horse 9^ 

Messenger, mare 21 

Mestayer, Emily, actress 32, 104, 107 

"Metamora," drama 5^ 

Metropohtan Hotel, N. Y 60, 61, 109 

MetropoUtan Police System, N. Y 47 

Metropolitan Theatre, N. Y loi 

Mexican War Fame 53 

Michigan, State 6 

Middle West 5 

"Midsummer Night's Dream, A," spectacular drama .... 102 

Miller, Abraham, Brooklyn 29 

Mill Boy, horse 9^ 

Miller, Gilbert B 85 

Miller, George, N. Y Z7 

Miller, James, N. Y 37 

Millerman, provisions, N. Y 10 

Miller & Grant, retail dry goods, N. Y 56 

Millers Damsel, mare 80 

Milligan Place, N. Y 126 

Militia, State soldiers 47 

Mill's Building, N. Y 23 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 5 

Mineola, L. 1 67 

Mingoes, John, L. 1 82 

Mineola fair grounds, L. 1 53 

Minister to The Hague (U. S.) 114 

Minstrel Shows, N. Y 103 

Minturn & Partridge, auctioneers, N. Y 25 

Minturn, Robert B., N. Y 136 

Mississippi, U. S. Man-of-war 61 



234 INDEX 

Mission House, Five Points, N. Y 46 

Mission Place, Five Points, N. Y 126 

Missouri, State 5. 11 

Mitchell, Maggie, actress 61 

Mitchell, Vance & Co., China, gas fixtures, etc., N. Y. . . . 56 

Mock Auction Places, N. Y 2-j 

Model Artists 57 

Mofifatt, Dr 114 

Molineux, E. L., adjutant 13th regiment, Brooklyn 48 

Moller & Co., P., sugar refiners, N. Y 8 

Moller, Peter, N. Y 20, 116 

Montague Street, Brooklyn 6, 87, 88, 89. 91, 134 

Montauk Point, L. 1 57, 85, 86, 167 

Montague Hall, Brooklyn 87 

Montague, Harry, actor 103, 104 

Monroe Place, Brooklyn 58, 134, 135 

Monroe Street, N. Y 126 

Montgomery Street, Jersey City, N. J 14 

Montgomery, Archie 24 

Montgomery, actor 107 

Moore Street, N. Y 9 

Moore, W. H. H., Vice-Prest. Ins. Co., N. Y 24 

Moore, Lambert, mayor, N. Y 9 

Morgan & Co., J. P., bankers, N. Y 21 

Morning Express, N. Y 2'j 

Morning Star, steamship 14 

Morant, Fanny, actress 59 

Mormons, or Latter-Day Saints loi 

Morris, Clara (Mrs. Harriott), actress 106, 107 

Morris, Gouveneur 136 

Morris Island, Charleston Harbor, S. C 15 

Morris Street, N. Y 13. 14, 18, 125 

Morris, Manor Place 117 

Morrison, Robert, provisions, Belfast agent it 

Morse, Theodore, theatre manager, N. Y 103 

Morton House, N. Y 107 

Morrisania, N. Y 117 



INDEX 235 

Morrissey, John A., congressman, pugilist 63, 81, 98 

Morrissey, James W., theatrical manager loi 

Moscow, horse 66 

Moses H. Grinnell, packet-ship 8 

Moser, Charles, Brooklyn 92 

Mott, M. L., N. Y 81 

Mott Street, N. Y 126, 133 

Moiilton, Frank, salt dealer, N. Y 1 1 

Mountain Boy, horse 81 

Mozart Hall, N. Y 57, 97 

Muhlenberg, Rev. Dr., rector Holy Communion Episcopal 

Church, N. Y 132 

Mulberry Street, N. Y 46, 47, 126 

Muller, Adrian H., real estate, N. Y 28 

Mulligan, minstrel, N. Y 58 

Mulligan, Billy, pugilist 98 

Munn Son & Co., cotton brokers, N. Y 25 

Munn, Stephen B., N. Y 136 

Municipal Pohce, N. Y 47 

Murphy, John, track driver, N. Y 12, 94, 117 

Murphy, pugilist (Irish Giant), N. Y 98 

Murphy, stage proprietor, N. Y 42 

Murphy, Tommy, track driver 19 

Murray Street, N. Y 59 

Museum, Barnum's (Old), N. Y 3^, 32, 33 

Museum, Barnum's (new), N. Y 57 

Mutual Life Insurance Co., building, N. Y 30 

Mutuals, base ball club, N. Y 83 

Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn ^7, 90 

N 

Naiades (water nymphs) 155 

"Naiad Queen," spectacular drama 102 

Nancy Hanks, mare 94 

Narrows, N. Y. bay 5 

Nashville, steamship 14 



236 INDEX 

Nassau county, L. 1 139 

Nassau street, N. Y 

16, 17, 21, 23, 24, 2-7, 34, 44, 55, 56, 124, 133 

Nast, Thomas, artist 98 

Nathan, Benjamin, N. Y 115 

National Hotel, N. Y 31 

National Theatre (Chatham), N. Y 33 

Naval Academy grounds, Annapolis, Maryland 15 

Navy Yard district, Brooklyn ^^j 

Ned, "Seal" 32, 34 

Nebraska, State 5, 11 

Needles, England 22 

Nelson's, Ben, road house, Brooklyn 19 

Neptune House, New Rochelle, N. Y 123 

Nesbitt & Co., Geo. F., stationers, N. Y 55, 124 

Nereides ( Sea Nymphs) 1 55 

Nettie Plummer, mare 92, 93 

Nevius & Co., Peter I., flour dealers, N. Y 7 

New Jersey, State 3, 14, 81, 92, 94, 122, 123, 172 

Nevada, State 20 

Nevins Street, Brooklyn 134, 135 

Newman & Co., W. H., flour and grain merchants, N. Y.. . 7 

Newman, W. H., Staten Island 11 

New Berlin Girl, mare 12 

New Bowery Theatre, N. Y 98 

New Bowery Street, N. Y 128 

New Brighton, Staten Island, N. Y 123 

Newcomb, Charles, vice-prest. Ins. Co., N. Y 24 

New England Pilgrims 141 

Newfoundland 13 

New Haven Line Steamboats 15 

New Haven and Hartford RR. Depot, N. Y 45 

New Market Race Track, Long Island 65 

New Orleans, La 14, 61 

New Orleans Line Steamers 14 

Newport, Rhode Island 16, 123 

Newport, steamboat 16 



INDEX 237 

New Rochelle, N. Y 24, 123 

Newton, Kate, actress 106 

Newton, Meta, actress 107 

Newtown, L. 1 25, 65, 79 

New World, steamboat 15 

New York.. .1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16,20,21,22,23, 
24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 46, 48, 50, 51, 
52, 53, 56, 61, 62, 63, 65, 66, 67, 69, ^2, 80, 83, 84, 87, 

88, 89, 91, 98, 99, 118, 104, 105, 108, 109, 114, 115, 119, 

121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 131, 134. 136, 139, 140, 141, 159, 
171, 172, 173 

New York Central and Hudson River R. R. depot. .111, 131 

New York Driving Club 24 

New York Fire & Marine Ins. Co 24 

New York Mutual Marine Ins. Co 24 

New York Historical Society Library 135 

New York Hospital 52, 53 

New York Hotel 1 1 , 109 

New York Landmark 35 

New York Legislature 26, 159 

New York Life Insurance Building 53 

New York roads 9, 12 

New York State 3. 30, 95, 96 

New York Yacht Club House 22 

New Yorker 119 

New Yorkers 17, 122 

New Zealand 29 

Niagara Falls, N. Y 57 

Niagara, U. S. man-of-war 4 

Niblo, William, N. Y 136 

Niblo's Garden Theatre, N. Y 21, 61, 62, 103 

Niblos, N. Y 62 

Nichols, Sidney, police commissioner and bank director, 

N. Y 42 

Nicolls, Richard, colonial governor of N. Y 65, 174 

Nicholas Nickleby, farce from Dickens 69 

Nicholson, J. C 34 



238 INDEX 

Nocolay, Albert H., real estate broker 21, 2$ 

Nigger Mermaids 155 

Night Hawk, horse 66 

Nilson, Christine, opera singer 103 

"Nine," base ball 87 

Nine Engine Co., "Continental," Brooklyn V^olunteer 

Fire Dept ^y 

Nineteen Engine Co., "Empire," Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 37 

Nineteenth street, N. Y 114, 115, 136 

Ninth avenue, N. Y 42, 64, in, 132, 136 

Ninth street, N. Y 42, 58, 136 

Ninth ward, N. Y 10 

Ninety-third street, N. Y 68 

Nodine, F. J., livery stable, Brooklyn 19, 79, 91, 94 

Nomads (Gipsies) 104 

North Carolina, state 93, 173 

North river i, 5, 11, 13, 14, 28, 64, 127 

North vs. South 93 

Norton, Mike, Hotel, Coney Island 23 

Nortons Point, Coney Island 23 

Norfolk Line Steamers 14 

"Nunquam Non Paratus," motto 21 

Nunns & Clark, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Nunns & Fischer, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Nye, James W., police commissioner, N. Y 20, 47 

O 

Oak Street, N. Y 125 

Oakley, Whitson, Brooklyn 92 

O'Briens, base ball players, Atlantic Club, Brooklyn. . . 84 

Occidental Hotel, N. Y 56 

Oceanic Hotel, Coney Island 23 

Oceanides 155 

"Octaroon," drama 102 

Octavius Caesar, character in drama "Julius Caesar". . . 109 



INDEX 239 

Odd Fellows Hall 58 

Oelrichs & Co., exporters, N. Y 8 

O'Flynn, Eddie, Brooklyn 18 

Ohio, state 5, 105 

Ohio Life & Trust Co., N. Y 26 

Old Babylonians, L. 1 102 

Old Brooklynite 18 

Old Brooklynites 83, 84 

Old Colony, steamboat 16 

Old Drayton 1 58 

Old Dutch Church, N. Y 17, 44 

Old First Street, N. Y., (Chrystie Street) 65 

Old Guard, N. Y 63 

Old Hall of Records, Cit> Hall Park, N. Y 32 

Old Plenry, horse 93 

Old New York 128 

Old New Yorker 115 

Old Ninth Ward, N. Y 65 

Old Pilot, pacer 81 

Old Point Comfort, Va 123 

Old Second Street (Forsyth Street) N. Y 65 

Old Slip, N 8, 18. 25, 38, 126, 129 

Old Tom's Chop House, N. Y 31 

Old Volunteer Firemen, Brooklyn 89 

■'Oliver Twist," drama 46 

Olympic Theatre, N. Y 100, 103 

One-Eyed Hunter, horse 79 

One Engine Co., "Washington," Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 37 

One Hook & Ladder Co., Montross Volunteer Fire Dept. 40 
One Hose Company "Atlantic,"Brooklyn Volunteer Vol- 
unteer Fire Dept 38, 40 

One Hook & Ladder, N. Y. Vol. Fire Dept 51 

One Hundred and Second Street, N. Y 64 

One Hundred and Fifth Street, N. Y 9, 68 

One Hundred and Eleven Broadway, N. Y 31 

One Hundred and Fourteenth Street, N. Y 133 



240 INDEX 

One Hundred and Sixteenth Street, N. Y i6 

One Hundred and Twenty-second Street, N. Y i6 

One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street, N. Y 62, 118 

One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Street, N. Y 138 

One Hundred and Forty-sixth Street, N. Y 118 

One Hundred and Forty-eighth Street, N. Y 68 

One Hundred and Sixty- fourth Street, N. Y 117 

One Hundred and Seventy-second Street, N. Y 64 

Omaha, Nebraska 1 1 

Oneida Chief, horse 66 

Oneida County, N. Y 79 

O'Neill, actor 107 

Opdyke, George, mayor of N. Y 115, 137 

Ophelia, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" ^^ 

Orange County, N. Y 10, 81 

Orange street, Brooklyn 10 

Orangemen, Irish 122 

Original Patent 174 

Osborne, George, Brooklyn 29 

Osborne & May, hatters, N. Y 29 

Osgood, George, N. Y 22, 80 

Osgood, Franklin, N. Y 22 

Osgood, Rev. Dr., N. Y 134 

Oskaloosa, Iowa 11 

Ottignon's gymnasium, N. Y 63, 137 

Ovid, Latin Poet 154 

Owens, John E., actor 60 

Oyster Bay, L. 1 16, 109, 174, 175 

Oyster Bay, L. I., patents 174, 175 

Oyster saloon 87 



Pacific Engine Co., No. 14, Volunteer Fire Dept., Brook- 
lyn .18, 37 

Pacific Hotel, N. Y 31 

Pacific steamship 13 



INDEX 241 

Pacific street, Brooklyn 37 

Palace Garden, N. Y 55 

Palmer, A. M., theatrical manager, N. Y 107 

Palmer, horse 66 

Palmer, Mr., president Broadway Bank, N. Y 49 

Palmer, Mr., proprietor Fourth Ave., stage line, N. Y. 42 

Panama Line Steamers, N. Y 13 

Park avenue, N. Y 49, 134 

Park Place, N. Y 20, 42, 45 

Park Row, N. Y 16, 21, 22, 23, 27, 44, 48, 113, 122, 133 

Park street, N. Y 126 

Park Theatre, Brooklyn 87 

Park Theatre, New York 108, 172 

Park and Tilford, retail grocers, N. Y 58 

Parks, William, Brooklyn 19, 20, 91 

Parkville, Brooklyn 19 

Parsloe, actor 59» loi 

Parrish, Henry, N. Y 136 

Parrish mansion, N. Y no 

Parrish residence (new), N. Y 114 

Parthian 153 

Passaic, New Jersey 123 

Passaic River, N. J 123 

Pastime Base Ball Club, Brooklyn 87 

Pastor, Tony, actor 61, 97 

Patchin place, N. Y 126 

Patterson, Knapp & Co., provisions, N. Y 10 

Patterson & Price, tobacco dealers, N. Y 8 

Patti, Adelina, opera singer 103 

Patti, Carlotta, opera singer 103 

i'aton & Co., dry goods, N. Y 20 

Paul, Oliver 141, 142, 143, 149, 155 

Paudctn (Bill Poole fracas), N. Y 62 

Pavilion Hotel, Glen Cove, L. 1 123 

Pavilion Hotel, Islip, L. 1 123 

Pavilion Hotel, Far Rockaway, L. 1 123 

Fdvilion Hotel, New Brighton, Staten Island 123 

18 



242 INDEX 

Pavilion Hotel, Lake Mahopac, N. Y 124 

Peabody, Warren, track driver 80 

Pearl Street (new) 125 

Pearl Street, N. Y 

8, 9, II, 19, 25, 26, 29, 34, 36, s8, 52, 55, 57, 124, 126 

Pearl Street Bank, N. Y 141 

Pearl Street House, N. Y 38 

Pearsall, base ball player, Brooklyn 83 

Pearsall, Edward, N. Y 80 

Pearsall, horse 67 

Pearson, Clifford, Brooklyn 34 

Pearson, Harry, actor 59 

Pease, Father, Rev. Rector, Brooklyn 135 

Peck Slip, N. Y 7- 10, 15, 43 

Peeping Toms no 

Pell street, N. Y 126 

Pelham, horse 66 

Peerless, mare 66 

Penniman brown stone house 113 

Pennsylvania, state 26 

Pennsylvanians 3^ 

Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D. C. . 5^ 

Peter the Great, horse 96 

Pet o' Blemis, horse 66 

Petroleum, horse 9^ 

Pettee, Lew, iron dealer, N. Y 80, 81 

Pettit & Crooks, restaurant, N. Y 21 

Pettit, Mr., Brooklyn 21 

Perrin, George E 79 

Perrin, John C 79 

Perkins, Hosea, N. Y 64 

Perry, Theodore, grain and flour, N. Y 7 

Persia, steamship 14 

Peter Cooper's glue factory, N. Y 8 

Peter Volo, horse 96 

Pfifer, Dan, track driver 91, 94 

Phallas, horse 117 



INDEX 



243 



Phelps, Anson G 136 

Phelps, Dodge & Co., metals, N. Y 8 

Phelps, Royal, N. Y 136 

Phoenix Bank, N. Y 25 

Philadelphia, Pa 14, 87, 159 

Philadelphia Bank, Pa 26 

Phil Thompson, horse 117 

Piano Makers 55 

Piccolomini, opera singer 103 

Pierce, Dickey, base ball player, Brooklyn 84 

Pierrepont House, Brooklyn 89 

Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn 18, 19, 37, 134 

Pierson's Iron Yard, N. Y 29 

Pike, Samuel, N. Y 105 

Pike's Opera House, N. Y 105 

Pilgrim, horse 94 

Pilgrims (New England) 141 

Pilot, Jr 81 

Pine Creek, L. 1 142 

Pine Street, N. Y 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 124 

Pineapple Street, Brooklyn t^j 

Pipes, Jeems, lecturer 113 

Place, Henry C 34 

Plato, horse 65 

Placide, Harry, actor 53, 59, 102, 103 

Plaza Hotel, N. Y 28 

Pleasantville, N. Y 115 

Pleasant avenue, N. Y 16 

Ploughboy, horse 12, 81 

Plymouth Church, Brooklyn 134 

"Pocahontas," drama 102 

"Pocahontas," mare 66, 81 

Polhemus, Harry, Brooklyn 18 

Police Chief, N. Y 47 

Police Commissioner, N. Y 42 

Police Commissioners, N. Y 47 

Police Department, N. Y. 47 



244 INDEX 

Police Headquarters, N. Y 47 

Police Justices, N. Y 47 

Police riot, N. Y 47 

Pollock, Liester (amiable child) 50 

Polly, character in "Rosedale" 104 

Pond & Son, W. A., sheet music publishers, N. Y 55 

Ponisi, Madame, actress 59 

Popham, Wm. H., lard refiner, N. Y 18 

Porter, Wm. T., newspaper proprietor, N. Y 141 

Poole, Bill, pugilist, N. Y 62, 63 

Portia, wife to Brutus 109 

Post, Daniel 165 

Post, Hicks, road house, Brooklyn 19 

Post, John, Jerusalem, South L. 1 168 

Post, Samuel, Jerusalem, South, L. 1 168 

Post Building, N. Y 25 

Post Office, N. Y 17, 31, 44 

Potamides 155 

Potter Building, N. Y 44 

Potter, Horatio, Rev., D. D., Bishop of N. Y., 1855.132, 133 

Poughkeepsie, N. Y 12 

Powers Hotel, Park Row, N. Y 44 

Pray, Miss, actress 60 

Prendergast, Tom, minstrel 58 

Presbyterian Churches, N. Y 133 

Prescott House Hotel, N. Y 59 

President of the United States 58, 125 

Presidency 58 

Price, Dr 95 

Prince Alert, horse 95 

Prince Bay, horse (Hartford) 80, 81, 82 

Prince Chestnut, horse 12 

Prince Albert of England 61 

Prince Benjamin, Brooklyn 91 

Prince George of England 61 

Prince of Wales 60 

Prince Street, N. Y 38, 60. 62, 64, 97, 103, iii, 128, 133 



INDEX , 245 

Princess, running mare 3 

Princess, trotting mare 80 

Prior, Mrs. J. J., actress 32 

Prison Ship, soldiers and sailors monument, Trinity 

churchyard, N. Y 28 

Probasco, Peter 141, I47, i49, i54, i55 

Produce Exchange, N. Y. (new 1858-60) 9, 10, 18, 138 

Produce Exchange, N. Y., (new 1890-93) 138 

Prometheus 160 

Prospect avenue, N. Y. (Bronx) 113 

Prospect Park, Brooklyn 2, 19 

Prospect Park, Race Track, Brooklyn 91 

Prospect street, Brooklyn 37 

Prosper©, horse 9^ 

Protection Engine Company, No. 5, N. Y., Volunteer 

Fire Dept 35 

Providence, Rhode Island 16 

Providence steamboat 10 

Province of New York 44 

Provost Jail (Hall of Records), City Hall Park, N. Y. . . 32 

Public stores, N. Y • 29 

Purcell, John, actor lo? 

Purdy, A. H., theatrical manager 33 

Putnams of Brooklyn, Base Ball Club 87 

Q 

Quack Doctor 112 

Quaker 40, H^ i55. 168 

Quaker, stock broker 21 

Quarantine, Staten Island 5- 4^ 

Quarantine riots, Staten Island 46 

Queen, Montgomery, stage driver, Brooklyn 83 

Queens County, Long Island. .67, 71, 91, 118, 163, 165, 171 

Queens County Fairs, L. 1 53 

Quinn, John, stable, Harlem 118 



246 INDEX 

R 

Rabineau, Harry C, doctor 6 

Racine, Wisconsin 117 

Rainbow, clipper ship 8 

Rambler, yacht 22 

Rand, Rose, actress 109 

Randolph Street, Chicago 88 

Rankin, McKee, actor 107 

Rarus, horse 118 

Rattler, horse 66 

Rattle Snake, horse 19 

Ravel, Antoine, actor (pantomime) 62 

Ravel, Francois, actor (pantomime) 62 

Ravel, Gabriel, actor (pantomime) 62 

Ravel, Jerome, actor (pantomime) 62 

Ravels, pantomime actors 61 

Ravelle, opera singer 103 

Raven & Bacon, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Raymond & Co., A., clothing, N. Y 56 

Raymond, Henry J., editor 175 

Raymond, John T., actor 100 

Raynor, George, L. 1 66 

Raynor, Parmenus (Venus), L. 1 140, 171 

Raynortown, L. 1 83 

Reade street, N. Y 44, 49 

Rebecca, yacht 22 

Recorder of the City, N. Y 109, 171 

Rector street, N. Y 127 

Reddy the Blacksmith, bar saloon, N. Y 97 

Red House Race Track, N. Y 9, 68, 69 

Red Jacket, horse 19, 91 

Reed, Isaac H., N. Y 11 

Reed & Co., Isaac H., flour, N. Y 7 

Reed, Roland 105 

Rehan, Ada, actress 106 

Reindeer, horse 80 



INDEX 247 

Relic Manuscripts i74 

Remsen Family, N. Y 43 

Remsen Hotel, Jamaica, L. 1 67, 82, 119 

Remsen Street, Brooklyn 11, 88, 89, 134 

Republican, political party 22, 58, 124, 125, 165 

Reservoir, N. Y 43 

Reservoir Park, N. Y 122 

Restell, Madame, N. Y 45 

Reuss Pavement, N. Y no 

Revere House, hotel, N. Y 97- IH 

Revolution, American, 28, 44, 50 

Rhinelander, William, N. Y I37 

Rhode Island, State 26 

Rhodes, George, assistant engineer N. Y. Vol. Fire Dept. 36 

R. I. P 69 

Rice, Dan, circus, N. Y 62 

"Richard the Third," drama 61 

Richardson & Co., Thos., flour and grain merchant, N. Y. 7 

Richardson, Thomas, N. Y 18 

Richardsons 163 

Rich, Dr., N. Y 80 

"Richelieu," drama loi 

Ridabock, Fred, N. Y 36 

Ridley & Co.. candy manufacturers, N. Y 44 

Rifle, horse 66 

Riker, Richard, N. Y I59 

Ringold, actor 107 

Ripton, horse 66 

Ritchings, Caroline (Mrs. Bernard), opera singer 58 

Ritchings, Caroline, troupe 5^ 

Ritchings, Peter, opera manager 58 

Road House, N. Y. roads 9 

Roach Guards, bowery, N. Y 46 

Roanoke, horse 66 

Roberts, Marshall O., N. Y 114, I37 

Robert Fillingham, horse 81 

Robertson, Agnes, actress 59» 102 



248 INDEX 

Robert and Williams, sugar importers, N . Y 8 

Robinson Street, N. Y 45 

Robson, Stuart, actor 197 

Rockefeller, Wm., N. Y 20, 81 

Rockaway, L. 1 66 

Rockaway Wagon 86 

Rockingham, horse 82 

Rock, Raynor, L. 1 140, 149, 154, 156 

Roes Hotel, West Point, N. Y 123 

Robe Bros., provisions, N. Y 10 

Roman Catholic Cathedral, 5th Avenue, N. Y 115 

Roman Catholic Cathedral, Prince Street, N. Y 133 

Roman Catholic Cathedral Church Yard, Prince St., N. Y. 128 

Roman Catholic Churches 131, 133 

Romans 156 

Rome, Italy 156 

"Romeo and Juliet," drama 61 

Romeo, character in "Romeo and Juliet" 61 

Rondout, N. Y 15 

Rondout steamboat 15 

Rosa, Parepa, opera singer 103 

"Rosedale," "Or the Rifle Ball," comedy 104 

Rose of Washington, mare 80 

Roosevelt, Judge 113 

Roosevelt family 113 

Roosevelt, organ builder, N. Y 55 

Roosevelt, C. V. S., N. Y 136 

Roosevelt street, N. Y 7, 29 

Rose, Ike 165 

Rosina 1 50 

Ross, Peter, historian 65 

Root & Anthony, stationers, N. Y 55 

Rough House, Hoboken ferry-boat 84 

Rouse, John, pork inspector, N. Y 18 

Ruderow, Jones & Co., auctioneers, N. Y 28 

Ruggles, James H., Brooklyn 39 

Rumrill & Co., A., jewelers, N. Y 59 



INDEX 249 

Rum Point, L. 1 83 

Rushton, Lucy, actress 106 

Rushtons, druggist, N. Y 38 

Russell, John, English ale and chop house, Brooklyn .... 83 

Russell, Lillian, actress 61 

Russell, Mrs., actress 49 

Russell, Sol Smith, actor 105 

Russell, base ball player, Brooklyn 87 

Russia, steamship ^ 14 

Russia 17, 61 

Russian Navy 61 

Rutgers Place, N. Y 136 

Rutgers School, N. Y 115, 116 

Rutherford Park Hotel 123 

Rylance, Rev. Dr., Rector St. Marks on the Bowery, N.Y. 131 

Rynders, Isaiah, N.Y 81 

S 

Sabine, Rev. Dr 100 

Sage & Co., grain and flour dealers, N.Y 7 

Sager, Richard, provisions, N.Y 10 

Salem, Ephram, schoolmaster, L. 1 143 

Salisbury Plains, race track, Long Island 65, 175 

Salstonstall, Professor 142 

Salt Lake City, Utah loi 

Salvation Army Building, N. Y 132 

Samn'is Churley Hempstead, L. 1 12 

Sammis, Seaman, Hempstead, L. 1 12 

Samson, Mr., N. Y 137 

Sam Patch, horse 66 

Sandford, Major General N. Y. State militia 4 

Sandford, Wright, Brooklyn 81 

Sands Point, L. 1 16 

Sands Street, Brooklyn 49, 134 

Sandy Hook, New Jersey 5, 22,123 

Sanitary Fair, Brooklyn 88 



250 INDEX 

Sanitary Fair, New York 98 

San Francisco Minstrels, N. Y 61 

San Francisco, California 98 

Santa Claus, horse 118 

Saratoga, N. Y 123 

Saterthwaite. Thomas B., president Ins. Co., N. Y 24 

Savannah, steamship 14 

Savannah Line Steamers 14 

Sawyer, Charles Carroll, song writer 48 

Sayres, Tom, pugilist 98 

Scar Faced Charley, horse 92 

Scarsdale, N. Y 18 

Schermerhorn, Peter, N. Y 136 

Schenck, Mr 116 

Schuyler, A. C, N. Y 24 

Schuyler, Gertrude, N. Y 29 

School House (old). South Oyster Bay, L. 1 170 

School House (old), Jerusalem South, L. 1 168 

Scio, Jim Smith's Road House, Jerusalem South, L. I. . 139 

Scotchman 129 

Scriptures 142 

Scudder, Slobbering 173 

Sculptor 163 

Seabury, Rev. Samuel, rector Church of the Annuncia- 
tion, N. Y 132 

Seaford, P. O., Long Island 92 

Seaford, Long Island 139, 14a 

Seals 155 

Seamen's Savings Bank, N. Y 25 

Searing, Seamen, Brooklyn 37 

Seawanaka, steamboat 16 

Seawanaka Disaster 134 

Sebastian, circus rider 62 

Scbastopol, Russia (Fortress) 17 

Second Avenue, N. Y.9, 10, 43, 62, 68, 108, 113, 115, 121, 122 

128, 129, 131, 134, 135, 136, 137. 

Second Avenue Car Line, N. Y 43 



INDEX 251 

Second Avenue Roman Catholic Church, corner 2d St. 133 

Second Regiment, N. Y. State Infantry 173 

Second street, N. Y 42, 65, 128, 133 

Second Street Stage Line, N. Y 42 

Secretary of the Treasury 172 

Seguine & Johnson, provisions, N. Y 9 

Selim, horse 66 

Seminole 166 

Sepoy Rebellion, India 17 

Seton, A., vice-president Sun Mutual Marine Ins. Co., 

N. Y 24 

Seven Engine Co., "Constitution," Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 37 

Seven Engine Co., N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dept 36 

Seventh Avenue, N. Y 36, 132, i33 

Seventh Regiment, N. Y. State militia 46, 47, 48, 63, 129 

Seventh Street, N. Y 48, 127 

Seventeen Engine Co., "Brooklyn," Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 40 

Seventeen Hose Co., "Brooklyn," Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 40 

Seventeenth Street, N. Y 113, 114, 122, 132, 133, 136 

Seventieth Street, N. Y 9- 10 

Seventy-first Regiment Armory, N. Y 45 

Seventy-first Regiment, Company "A," N. Y. (Light 

Guard) 129 

Seventy-second Street, N. Y 122 

Seventy-third Street, N. Y 64, 132 

Seventy-sixth Street, N. Y 64 

Seymour, Nelse, minstrel 58 

Seymour, Rev. Dr., Bishop of Illinois 107 

Shaffer, Christian, Saloon, Broadway N. Y 62 

Shakespearian Characters loi 

Shakespeare 162 

Shakespeare Inn 54 

Shark horse 82 

Sharon, N. Y 123 



252 INDEX 

Shave Tail, horse 68 

Shelby, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Shelby, George, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin".... 33 

Sheldon & Co., Henry, wholesale grocers, N. Y 8 

Sheldon, E. G 34 

Shell Road, Coney Island, L. 1 23 

Shelter Island, L. 1 92 

Shepard, John, Boston, Mass 96 

Shepherd, stage proprietor, N. Y 42 

Shields, Hon. John, U. S. Commissioner, N. Y 87 

Shinbone Alley, N. Y 1 26 

Shinplaster Script, "Money" 43 

Ship Agents 9 

Shiptimber, horse 92 

Shoe and Leather Bank, N. Y 25 

Shook, Sheridan, theatre manager, N. Y 107 

"Shoo, Fly, Don't Bother Me," song 48 

Shults, John H., Brooklyn 91 

Shumway, Captain 7th Regiment, N. Y 63 

Shylock, character in drama "Merchant of Venice". ... 60 

Siamese Twins, freaks at Museum 32 

Sibbons, road house, Jerome Avenue, N. Y 1 19 

Siege of Lucknow, India 59 

Sieghortners, A., restaurant, N. Y 19 

Silas 155 

Silberhorn, provisions, N. Y 10 

Simmonds, Eph., N. Y 91 

Sinclair & Co., Irish bacon packers, N. Y 10, 18 

Sing Sing, N. Y. State Prison 54, 102 

.Sir Archy. horse 94 

S'/ Arthur, character in "Rosedale" 104 

Sir Henry, horse 93 

Sir Walter Raleigh Statue 28 

Sixth Avenue, N. Y 

43. 54. 55. 58, 109, 114, 122, 126, 127, 128, 132. 133. 134 

Sixth Avenue Car Line, N. Y 42, 43 

Sixth Avenue Stage Line, N. Y 41, 42 



INDEX 253 

Sixth Street, N. Y 42, 45. 99 

Six Engine, N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dept 3^ 

Six Engine, "Protector," Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Dept.. 37 

Sixteenth Street, N. Y 10, 36, 131- i33> I34 

Sixty-one Hose Company, N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dept.. . 36 

Sixty-third Street, N. Y 43 

Sixty-sixth Street, N. Y 122 

Skiddy, Francis, sugar importer, N. Y 8, 116, 137 

Skinner, J. S., editor Turf Register 141 

Slate Colored American, "horse" 7^, 112 

Slauson, George, wholesale grocer, N. Y 11 

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, "Tarrytown," N. Y 115 

Slote, Alonzo, clothing, N. Y 37 

Slote, Dan, N. Y 37 

Small Hopes, horse 9^ 

Smith, Abel, Colonel 13th Regiment of Brooklyn 48 

Smith Bros., clothing, N. Y 5o 

Smith, Edmund Banks, chaplain Governor's Island, N. 

Y. Bay • • • 95 

Smith, Henry N., stock broker, N. Y 20 

Smith, James ^73 

Smith, James Xenophon, L. 1 160, 161, 164, 173 

Smith, Jerry ^49 

Smith, Jim, Hotel at Jerusalem, South L. I 

139, 156, 160, 168 

Smith, Jim, X boys, Jerusalem, South L. 1 163, 168 

Smith, Judge, road house, N. Y 119 

Smith, Mark, actor 59, 102, 106 

Smith, Melancthon, Rear Admiral U. S. Navy 61 

Smith and McNeil, restaurant and hotel, N. Y 23 

Smithtown, Long Island 65 

Smull, Jacob, Inman Line Steamers 12, 14 

Snake, horse ^9 

Snedlcor, Charles E., Southampton, L. 1 85 

Snedicor, E. M., Jamaica, L. 1 85 

Snedicor, Evert, livery stable, Brooklyn 19, 9^ 

Snedicor, John L, road house. East New York, L. I. .9, 119 



254 INDEX 

Snodgrass, Mr., Warwick, N. Y 99 

Snow Flake, "Quarry Marbk" 115 

Society Library, N. Y 135 

Solaris Restaurant, N. Y 54 

Solgus, Rev. Henry, St. Mark's Church, N. Y. (1662).. 132 

Solomon & Hart, carpets, etc., N. Y 55 

Solon Shingle, character in comedy "The People's Lawyer" 60 

Somerindike, Jacob, N. Y 81, 91 

Sonoma Girl, mare 29 

Sons of the Revolution, N. Y 30 

Sontag, mare 66, 80 

Sothern, Edward, actor 59, 60, 100 

Southampton, L. 1 85 

South Bay 160 

South Brooklyn 7, 37 

South Carolina, State 15 

South Ferry, N. Y 9, 41, 42 

South Ferry, Brooklyn 52 

South Fifth Avenue, N. Y 133 

South Oyster Bay, L. 1 67, 71, 92, 100, 139, 173, 175 

South Side 162 

South Street, N. Y 7, 8, 9, 2}^, 29, 30, 121, 126 

South Turnpike, L. 1 170 

South William Street N, Y 20, 36 

Southern Sympathizers, N. Y 109 

Southworth, Slavvson & Co., wholesale grocers, N. Y. . 11 
Southwark Engine Co., No. 38, N. Y. Volunteer Fire 

Dept. 35 

Soutter, Robert, bank president, N. Y 27 

Soutters, Astoria 123 

Sovereign of the Seas, clipper ship 8 

Spencer, Charles, Colonel, N. Y 129 

Spicer, George, track driver 79, 81, 94 

Spinola, Frank, General 37 

"Spit It Out, Diah" (Obadiah Verity) 173 

Splan, John, track driver 94 

Spofford, Paul, N. Y 136 



INDEX 255 

Spofford, Tileston & Co., steamer agents, N. Y 18 

Spoffords, Hunts Point, N. Y 123 

Spring Street, N. Y 57, 59, 99, 127, 133, 134 

Spring Street Market, N. Y 63, 127 

Spring Street Presbyterian Church, N. Y 133 

Spring Street Stage Line, N. Y 42 

Spring & Haynes, slaughterers, N. Y 11 

Spruce Street, N. Y 44, 48, 124 

Spuyten Duyvill Creek, N. Y 50 

Squaw Islands, Great South Bay, L. 1 162 

"Staats Zeitung," German newspaper, N. Y. (building) 44 

"Staats Zeitung," German newspaper, N. Y 125 

Stahlnecker & Co., slaughterers, N. Y 11 

Standard Oil Building, N. Y 29 

Stanley, Marcus Cicero, N. Y 113 

Stanton Street, N. Y 29 

Stanwix Hall, 579 Broadway, N. Y., bar saloon. .. .62, 63 

Staple Street, N. Y 126 

Star of the West, steamship 14 

Star Pointer, horse 117 

Stars, Base Ball Club, Brooklyn 83, 84 

Startle, horse 118 

State of L'long Island (Matowacs) 160 

State of New York 30 

State Militia, N. Y 4, 121, 122 

State Street, N. Y 7, 11, 13, 38 

State Street, Brooklyn 25, 40, 134, 135 

Staten Island, N. Y 2, 3, 5, 11, 22, 46, 123 

Statue of Liberty, N. Y. Bay 4 

Steck, George, piano manufacturer, N. Y 55 

Steers, George, ship builder, N. Y 13 

Steinway & Sons, piano manufacturers, N. Y 55 

Stellenwerth's Hotel, Islip, L. 1 123 

Stevens, John, Hoboken, N. J 22, 93, 94 

Stevens House, N. Y 13 

Stevens, Paran, N. Y., hotel proprietor 64 

Steve Maxwell, horse 118 



256 INDEX 

Stevens, Mrs. Paran, N. Y 1 16 

Stevens, Robert, Hoboken, N.J 93 

Stevenson, Charles, actor 107 

Stevenson, Edmund, Commissioner of Emigration, N. Y. 42 

Stewart, A. T., N. Y 49, 132, 136 

Stewart, A. T., estate, N. Y 106 

Stewart & Co., A. T., retail dry goods, N. Y 49 

Stewart's Store, N. Y 49 

Stewart, Mrs. A. T., N. Y 132 

Stewart Marble Palace, N. Y 115 

Stivers, R. M., wagon maker, N. Y 64 

Stock Exchange, N. Y 19 

Stoddart, J. H., actor, N. Y 59, 104 

Stoddard, Wooster & Dunham, piano manufacturers, N. 

Y 55 

Stoepel, Robert, orchestra leader, N. Y 60 

Stokes, Edward S., N. Y 102 

Stone, Eton, circus rider 62 

Stone, Mr., editor "Journal of Commerce," N. Y 124 

Stone Street, N. Y 23, 25, 126 

Stonewall Jackson, horse 82 

Stonington, steamboat 16 

Stools and Batteries 157 

Storrs, Rev. R. S., Brooklyn 134 

Story, Rufus, teas and coffees, N. Y 34 

Stowe, Harriet Beecher, writer 32 

Strauss, Nathan, N. Y 117 

Strackosch, Max, opera director 103 

Strong's Drug Store, N. Y 8 

"Stroh," "Stroh," straw man, N. Y 113 

St. Agnes' Church, Episcopal, 9th Ave. and 93d St., N. 

Y 68 

St. Alphonsus' Church, Roman Catholic, South 5th Ave., 

N. Y 133 

St. Ann's Church, Roman Catholic, 12th St 133 

St. Ann's Church, Episcopal, East i8th St., N. Y 132 



INDEX 257 

St. Ann's Church, Episcopal, Washington Street CCHn- 

1;on Street), Brooklyn ^34 

St Andrew's Church, Roman Catholic, N. Y I33 

St! Anthony's Church, Roman Catholic, Duane Street, 

N. Y ^^^ 

St. Augustine's Church, Episcopal, E. Houston Street, 

N. Y ^^^ 

St. Bartholomew's Church, Episcopal, Lafayette Place, 

N. Y. (Madison Avenue) i lO' ^32 

St. Bernard's Church, Roman Catholic, West 14th St., 

N. Y ^^^ 

St. Bernard's Hotel (Aliens), N. Y • • 97 

St. Charles' Boromeo Church, Roman Catholic, Sid- 
ney Place, Brooklyn ^34 

St. Clair, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," drama.. 33 
St. Clair' Mrs., character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," 

drama ' ' ' 

St. Francis' Xavier Church, Roman Catholic, West i6th 

Street, N. Y ; ^33 

St. George's Church, Episcopal, Beekman and Cliff Sts. 

(East i6th Street), N. Y ^3^ 

St. George's Church, Episcopal, Hempstead, L. i 67 

St. George's Cricket Club, Staten Island 22 

St Germain Hotel, Broadway and 22d Street, N. Y... 114 
St lames' Church, Roman Catholic, Jay Street, Brook- 

•^ , I ^4 

lyn ^^ 

St. James' Church, Episcopal • • ^32 

St John's Church, Episcopal, Varick St., N. Y....r26, 131 

St. John's Church Yard, Varick St., N. Y 128 

St. John's Church, Episcopal, Brooklyn 83, 107, I34 

St. John's Lane, N. Y ^^7 

St. John's Park, N. Y 45, 122, 131 

St. Joseph, Missouri • 

St. Joseph's Church, Roman Catholic, 6th Ave. and 4th 

St., N. Y ^33 

^ ^ ,. , 118 

St. Juhen, horse 

St. Louis, Missouri ^ ^ 

19 



258 INDEX 

St. Luke's Church, Episcopal, CHnton Avenue, Brook- 
lyn •• 134 

St. Luke's Church, Episcopal, Hudson Street, N. Y... 132 
St. Mark's Church, Episcopal, 2(1 Ave. and loth St., 

N. Y 131 

St. Mark's Churchyard, 2d Ave. and loth St., N. Y.. 128, 173 

St. Mark's Place, N. Y 136 

St. Mary's of Star of the Sea Church, Roman Catholic, 

Court Street, Brooklyn 134 

St. Matthew's Church, Lutheran, Broome St., corner 

Elizabeth Street, N. Y 13-I 

St. Nicholas Hotel, Broadway, N. Y 38, 53. 59 

St. Paul's Church, Broadway and Fulton Street, N. Y. 

(Episcopal) 32, 35. 131 

St. Paul's Churchyard, Broadway and Fulton St., N. Y. 128 

St. Paul's Church, Methodist, N. Y 133 

St. Peter's Church, Episcopal, Atlantic St., Brooklyn.. 134 
St. Peter's Church, Episcopal, West 20th Street, N. Y. 132 
St. Peter's Church, Roman Catholic, Barclay St., N. Y. 133 
St. Stephen's Church, Episcopal, Broome, corner Chrys- 

tie Street, N. Y 131 

St. Thomas' Church, Episcopal, Broadway, corner Hous- 
ton St., N. Y 97. 13T 

Stryker's Bay, N. Y 4-^ 64 

Stuart, Alexander, sugar refiner, N. Y 44 

Stuart, Robert L., sugar refiner, N. Y 44, 114. I37 

Stuart's Candy, N. Y 4-1 

Studley, actor i^^^ 

Sturges, Bennett & Co., wholesale grocers, N. Y .S 

Sturges, Jonathan. N. Y 13''^ 

Stuyvesant Park, N. Y 122, 131, 134 

Stuyvesant, Peter, N. Y 9- 131 

Stuyvesant Pear Tree, 3d Ave. and 13th St., N. Y 114 

Stuyvesant, Rutherford 13'^ 

"Sun," newspaper, N. Y 44 

Sun Mutual Ins. Co. (Marine), N. Y 24 

Sunday i ^ - 



INDEX 259 

"Sunday Courier," newspaper, N. Y 125 

"Sunday Times," newspaper, N. Y 125 

Suffolk County, L. 1 65, 118, 139, 168 

Suffolk Maid, mare '. 93 

Sullivan Street, N. Y 133 

Sunol, mare 94, 118 

Superb, horse 97 

Supreme Court of the Colony 175 

Surf Hotel, Fire Island, L. 1 123 

Surprise, clipper ship 8 

Sutton & Co., agent California Clipper Ships, N. Y 8 

Sutherland's Restaurant, N. Y 23 

"Suwanee River," song 48 

Suydam, Lambert, billiard room, Brooklyn 12, 87, 92 

Swallow, clipper ship 8 

Swartwout, John 159 

Swartwout, Robert 159 

Swartwoutize 159 

Sweet, Milton, restaurant, N. Y 23 

Sweeny's Hotel and Restaurant, N. Y 23 

Sweezy, Noah T., flour, N. Y 7 

Sweezys, Stephe, L. 1 161 

Swift, horse 95 

Sword Fish, clipper ship 8 

Sydney Place, Brooklyn 134 

Sylvan Dell, Harlem steamboat 16 

Sylvan Glen, Harlem steamboat 16 

Sylvan Shore, Harlem steamboat 16 

Sylvan Stream, Harlem steamboat 16 

Symmes, Captain 142 



T. B. Arrowsmith, steamboat 16 

Taconey, horse 66, 79, 80 

Talmadge & Co., rice dealers, N. Y 18 

Talmadge, Dr., Brooklyn 92 



26o IXDEX 

Talmadge, Rev. DeWitt, Brooklyn 135 

Tallman, Darius, track driver 80, 91 

Tammany Hall, N. Y 34, 44 

Tammany Hall Theatre, N. Y 97 

Tarrytown, N. Y 10 

Tax Office, N. Y 36 

Taylor, Mary, actress 46 

Taylor, Moses, N. Y 136 

Taylor & Co., Moses, shipping- merchants, N. Y 8 

Taylor, John H 34 

Taylor's Ice Cream Saloon, N. Y 54 

Tearle, Osmond, actor, N. Y 104 

Teft, Weller & Co., dry goods, N. Y 52 

Tempest, mare 92, 93 

Temple, Charlotte, Trinity Church Yard 28 

Temple of the Muses Theatre loi 

Temple Street, N. Y 31, 136 

Tempus Fugit, horse 29 

Tenth Avenue, N. Y 10, 45, in 

Tenth Street, N. Y 42, 112, 122, 126, 131, 132, 133, 134 

Tenth Street, West, N. Y 65, 125, 135, 136 

Thalia Theatre, Bowery, N. Y 46 

Thalberg, pianist 109 

Thames Street, N. Y 126 

The Abbey, road house, N. Y 21, 64, 118 

The Abbott, horse 94 

The American, character in "The American Cousin"... 100 

"The American Cousin," comedy 100 

The American Institute, N. Y 3 

"The American Nation," book t,2 

"The American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine" 141 

The Argonautic Expedition 141 

The Atlantic Hotel, 125th St. and 8th Avenue, N. Y. .. 118 

The A. T. Stewart Estate, N. Y 106 

The Bank, ale and chop house, Brooklyn 83 

The Beefsteak Church (All Souls), 4th Ave. and 20th 

Street, N. Y 134 



INDEX 261 

The Benecia Boy (Heenan) 98 

The Blue Man . . ., 112 

The Borough of the Bronx 138 

The Bowhng Green Building 138 

The Brevoort House, Hotel, N. Y no 

"The Brooklyn Eagle," newspaper 125 

The Brooklyn Theatre 107 

"The Brooklyn Times," newspaper 125 

"The Brooklyn Union," newspaper 125 

The Cardinal, drama "Richelieu" loi 

The Cathedral, Garden City, L. 1 132 

The City of New York 121 

The Commercial Advertiser, newspaper, N. Y 124 

The Count Johannes, actor loi 

The Courier and Enquirer, newspaper, N. Y 124 

"The Cricket on the Hearth," comedy 61 

The Custom House, N. Y 25, 27, 138 

The Custom House (new 1913), N. Y 12 

"The Daily Times" 125 

The Eel Pot, Methodist Church (colored), Brooklyn... 135 

The Electric Tramways 138 

"The Evening Post" 124 

The Field Building 18, 138 

The Fifth Avenue Hotel, N. Y 105 

The Fifth Avenue Theatre, N. Y 105 

The Fifth Regiment, N. Y 129 

The Fifty-fifth Regiment, N. Y 129 

The Flatiron Building, N. Y 114 

The Four Bridges to Brooklyn. 138 

The Fourteenth Regiment, Brooklyn 49 

The Gem, bar saloon, N. Y 54 

The Goddess of Liberty Statue, Bedloe's Island, N. Y. 

Bay 137 

The Gould Family, N. Y 105 

The Grand Admiral, Russian man-of-war 61 

The Grand Central Depot, N. Y 45, 125 

The Grand Central Hotel, N. Y 102 



262 INDEX 

The Grand Opera House, N. Y 39, 58, 105 

The Grand Pacific Hotel, Chicago 22 

The Grapevine, bar saloon, N. Y 54 

The Great Eastern, steamship 2, 4 

The Harlem River, N. Y 16, 117, 138 

The Heart Bowed Down, song 58 

The Huntington, Long Island, Patents from Colonial 

Governors, Confirming Indian Deeds 174, 175 

The Irish Giant, pugilist 98 

The Irish Dwarf 113 

"The Journal of Commerce," newspaper, N. Y 25, 124 

The Last Dutch Governor of New York — 

"The Last Man," drama 53 

The Lime Kiln Man, N. Y 112 

The Little Church Around the Corner, N. Y 100 

"The Merchant of Venice," drama 60 

The Methodists 133 

The Monk, horse 96 

"The New Magdalene," comedy 106 

The New York Central and Hudson River Railroad De- 
pot, 9th and loth Avenues 45 

The New York City Marble Cemetery 128 

"The New York Herald," newspaper 16, 124 

"The New York Ledger," newspaper 125 

"The New York Mercury," newspaper 135 

"The New York Morning and Evening Express," news- 
paper 27-124 

"The New York Sunday Times," newspaper 125 

"The New York Sunday Courier," newspaper 125 

"The New York Sun," newspaper 124 

The New York Theatre, N. Y 106 

"The New York Tribune," newspaper 124 

"The New York World," newspaper 124 

The Ninth Regiment, N. Y. State Militia 129 

The O'Briens, base ball players, Brooklvn 84 

The Old City Hall ' 4 

The Old Dutch Church, N. Y 17 



INDEX 263 

The Old Dutch Church, Brooklyn 134 

The Old Fleetwood Race Track, N. Y 97 

The Old John Street Methodist Church, N. Y 133 

The Old Morris Manor Place, N. Y 117 

"The Old Oaken Bucket," song 48 

The Old Sands Street Methodist Church, Brooklyn. . . . 134 

The Old Straw Man, N. Y 113 

The Old Washington Course, Hempstead Plains, L. I. 67 

The Old Washington Hotel, N. Y 18 

The Oyster Bay Patent, L. I., confirming Indian deeds 174 

"The People's Lawyer," comedy 60 

The Pirate's Hanging (Albert W. Hicks) 137 

"The Police Gazette," newspaper, N. Y 47, 125 

The Quaker Meeting House, N. Y 134 

The Railroad Scene in Drama, "Under the Gaslight". . . loi 

"The Rajah," drama 106 

The Rutherford Park Hotel, Rutherford, N. J 123 

"The Sea of Ice, or A Maiden's Prayer," drama loi 

The Seasons, picture 53 

The Seventh Regiment, N. Y. State Militia 46, 47, 48 

The Seventy-First Regiment, N. Y. State Militia 129 

The Seventy-first Regiment, N. Y. State Militia, Com- 
pany A 129 

The Seventy-ninth Regiment, N. Y. State Militia 129 

The Shakespeare Inn, bar saloon, N. Y 54 

The Sinclair House, Hotel, N. Y 99 

The Sixty-ninth Regiment, N. Y. State Militia 129 

The Spingler House, hotel, N. Y 114 

The Spingler Institute, N. Y 114 

The Sportsman's Hotel, Jerusalem, South L. 1 161 

The Standard Oil Building, N. Y 29, 132 

The Star, Ireland's Ale and Chop House, N. Y 54 

The Stars, Base Ball Club, Brooklyn 84 

The State of Long Island 160 

The St. Germain Hotel, N. Y 114 

The Stock Exchange, N. Y 20 

The Streets of Old London, theatre, N. Y 106 



264 INDEX 

The Subways, N. Y 138 

The Tabernacle, Dr. Chapin, N. Y 134 

The Tabernacle, Talmage's, Brooklyn 135 

The Tenderloin, N. Y 54 

The Theatre Comique, N. Y 106, 1 1 1 

The Thirtenth Regiment, N. Y. State Militia, Brook- 
lyn 48, 49 

"The Three Guardsmen," drama 46 

"The Ticket of Leave Man," drama 60 

The Trotter and Pacer, periodical, N. Y 45 

The Trotting Match 86 

The Twenty-second Regiment, N. Y. State Militia, N. 

Y 130 

"The Two Orphans," drama 107 

"The Veteran," drama 60 

"The Victims," comedy 60 

The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, N. Y 1 16 

The Winter Garden Theatre, N. Y 102, 116 

Theatre Alley, N. Y 126 

Thetis 155 

Third Avenue, N. Y 

16, 42, 43, 45, 47, 48, 55, 114, 122, 127, 134, 13S 

Third Avenue Bridge, N. Y 16 

Third Street Roman Catholic Church, near ist Ave., 

N. Y 133 

Third Avenue Car Line, N. Y 43 

Third Street 128 

Thirteenth Regiment, Brooklyn 48. 49, 87 

Thirteenth Street, N. Y 54, 103, 104, 113, 114, 135 

Thirtieth Street, N. Y 45, iii, 116 

Thirty-second Street, N. Y 10, 41, 43, 116 

Thirty-third Street, N. Y 10, 42. 45, in, 116 

Thirty-fourth Street, N. Y 42, 50, 64, 115, 116, 134 

Thirty-fifth Street, N. Y 132 

Thirty-seventh Street, N. Y 49, no, 133, 137 

Thirty-eighth Street, N. Y 36 

Thirty-ninth Street, N. Y n, 36, n8, 134 



INDEX 265 

Thirty-eighth Engine Co., N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dept. . yj 
Thirty-six Hose Company, N. Y. Volunteer Fire Dept. t^j 
Thomas, George and Jerry, bar saloon and restaurant, 

N. Y 98 

Thomas Jefferson, horse 81 

Thomas, Jerry, saloon 98, 99 

Thomas Powell, steamboat 15 

Thomas Street, N. Y 28, 38, 53 

Thompson, B. F., N. Y 160 

Thompson, Lydia, actress 61 

Thompson Street, N. Y 133 

Thompson's Bank-Note Reporter 17 

Thompson's Hotel, Coney Island 23 

Thompson's Hotel, Lake Mahopac, N. Y 124 

Thompson's Ice Cream Saloon, N. Y 57 

Thompson's Nephew, Samuel, N. Y 8 

Thorn, Abia B., Brooklyn 34 

Tliorne, Charles R., actor 107 

Thorne, Jonathan, N. Y 136 

Thorne, Q. Maynard, litherage, N. Y 19 

Thorne, Richard Van Wyck, Captain Co. G, I3tli Reg- 
iment, Brooklyn 49 

Three Bowling Green, steamship offices, N. Y 13 

Three Engine Co. "Franklin," Brooklyn Volunteer Fire 

Dept 37 

Three Hose Co. "Alert," Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Dept. 40 

Throggs Neck, L. I. Sound 123 

Thumb, Tom, dwarf freak 32 

Tiffany Store 1 14, 133 

Tiffany, Young & Ellis, jewelers, N. Y 38, 59 

Tiger Lily, steamboat on Harlem River 16 

Tillary Street, Brooklyn 40 

Tilden, Samuel J., N. Y in 

Times Building, N. Y 23, 44, 133 

Timpson, Jared A., N. Y. School Commissioner 35 

Tin Pot Alley, N. Y 126 

Titinius (Daniel) 154 



266 INDEX 

Tiverton, horse 92 

Toad Hill, Staten Island ii 

Tobey & Booth, slaughterers and provisions, N. Y.... 11 

Tombs, City Prison, N. Y 36, 45 

Tom Wonder, horse 81 

Tompkins Blues, Military Company, N. Y 63 

Tompkins & Co., grain and provisions, N. Y 7 

Tompkins' Market, N. Y 127 

Tompkins' Park 122 

Toodles, character, comedy 49 

Topsy, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Topsy, mare 80 

Toronto Chief, horse 81 

Townsend, Doctor, 112, 115 

Townsend, Doctor, sarsaparilla fame 136 

Traveller, steamboat 15 

Tredwell, John 112 

Tredwell, Jarman & Slote, clothing, N. Y 56 

Trinity Building, N. Y 31 

Trinity Chapel, Episcopal, West 26th Street, N. Y 132 

Trinity Church, Broadway and Rector Street, N. Y. 

(Episcopal) 28, 29, 126, 131 

Trinity Church Yard. Broadway and Rector Street, N. 

Y 128 

Trinity Place, N. Y 28, 125 

Tripler Hall, N. Y loi 

Trustees Brother, horse 81 

Trustee, horse 66, 68 

Tryon, Governor of New York (Colonial) 44 

Tryon Row, N. Y 43, 44 

Tunison, Mort, road house, Brooklyn 19 

Tunnel, Broadway 52 

Tunnel, Atlantic Street, Brooklyn 52 

Turnbull, Wm., road rider, N. Y 80 

Turner, Jim, track driver 81 

Turner, James (Bill Poole fracas) 62 

Twain, Mark, writer and lecturer 113 



INDEX 267 

Tweed, Bill, politician, N. Y 36 

Twelve Hose Company Fire Dept., Brooklyn Vohmteers 40 

Tweed Ring 108 

Twelfth of July, Battle of the Boyne, Ireland 122 

Twelfth Street, East N. Y 55, 133 

Twelfth Street, West N. Y 114 

Twentieth Street, N. Y 44, 114, 125, 122, 132, 134, 136 

Twenty-first Street, N. Y 

36, 55, 56, 62, 108, 114, 115, 121, 122, 128, 132, 136 

Twenty-second Street, N. Y .98, 104, 114, 115 133 

Twenty-third Street N. Y 47, 64, no, 115, 121 

Twenty-third Stage Line, N. Y 42 

Twenty-third Street, West N. Y 

28, 39, 42, 59, 64, 99, 105, 109, 115, 133 
Twenty-third Regiment, N. Y. State Militia, Brooklyn 49 

Twenty-fourth Street, N. Y 42, 64, 105 

Twenty-fifth Street, N. Y 116 

Twenty-sixth Street, N. Y 42, 45, 116, 122, 132 

Twenty-seventh Street, N. Y 9, 116 

Twenty-eighth Street, N. Y 36, 59, 132, 137 

Twenty-ninth Street, N. Y 115, 116 

Two Engine Company "Neptune," Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 37 

Two Hose Company "Mechanic," Brookyln Volunteer 

Fire Dept 39> 40 

Twenty Hose Company "Humane," New York Volunteer 

Fire Dept 35 

Two Hundred and Forty-seven, Broadway, N. Y 38 

Twenty-two Engine Co. "Montauk," Brooklyn Volunteer 

Fire Dept 37 

Twenty-eight Hose Co. "Metamora," New York Vol- 
unteer Fire Dept . . 3^ 

Tyler, John, President United States 3 

Tyng, Stephen H., Rev. Dr., N. Y 131 



268 IXDEX 

U 

Ubsdell, Pearson &: Lake, retail dry goods, N. Y 56 

Uhlan, horse 95, 96 

Ulman, Daniel, lawyer. X. Y 99 

Ulster County, N. Y 11 

Uncle Dave, horse 12 

Uncle Tom, character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

"Uncle Tom's Cabin," drama 32 

Underbill, Daniel, Oyster Bay, L. 1 81 

Underbill & Fleet, livery stable, N. Y 109 

"Under the Gas Light," drama loi, 106 

Union Bank, X. Y 25 

Union Club, N. Y 114 

Union Course, race track, L. L. . 19, 66, 67, ^2, 79, 81, 82, 93 

Union Course, race track, rules and regulations ~2 

L'nion Dime Savings Institution, N. Y 56 

Union Square, N. Y 107, 113. 114, 122, 133 

Union Square Park, X. Y 114 

L'nion Square Theatre, X. Y 107 

Unitarian Church 58, 106, 134 

L^nited States Government War Department 14 

United States Frigate 28 

United States Hotel, N. Y 34 

United States Hotel, Long Branch, X\ J 123 

L'nited States Treasury Building, X. Y 25. 27 

United States of America 2, 6, 21, 30, 71, 88 

United States Navy 3 

University Place, N. Y 45, 54, 113, 133, 135, 136 

University of the City of X\ Y 45 

Utah, State loi 

Utica, X. Y 79 

V 

Valiant 94 

Valisneria 209 



INDEX 269 

Van Anden, Isaac 125 

Van Anden, William, Brooklyn 92 

Van Courtland, Anne 29 

Van Courtland, Stephanus 29 

Vanderbilt, Cornelius, Commodore, N. Y...13, 80, 109, 136 

Vanderbilt, horse 81 

Vanderbilt, Jacob, Captain, Staten Island, N. Y 80 

Vanderbilt Landing, Staten Island, N. Y n 

Vanderbilt, William H., N. Y 80, 96, 118, 144 

Vanderveer, William, Brooklyn 37 

Varick Street, N. Y 42, 45> 5^, 122, 131, 133 

Varian, Colonel, 8th Regiment, N. Y. State Militia... 129 

Vauxhall Garden, N. Y 63 

Venus 141, 142, I49> i?! 

Verity, John, Long Island bayman 140, 171, I73 

Verity, Obadiah, Long Island bayman 171, 172, 173 

Veritus Creek, Long Island 140 

Vermont Black Hawk, horse 66 

Vernon, Ida, actress io7 

Vernon, Mrs. Jane, actress 59' ^04 

Vesta, steamship ^3 

Vesta, yacht 22 

Vesey Street, N. Y 4h 42, 59, 127, 131 

Victoria, packet-ship 9 

Vice-Presidency 5° 

Victor & Duckwitz, importers, N. Y 8 

Vincent, Ned, Captain Light Guards, N. Y 63 

Vinton, Rev. Dr., Rector St. Mark's on the Bowery. . . 131 

Vinton, Francis, Rev. Dr 132 

Virginia (state) 5 ^ 

Volunteer Firemen, Brooklyn 34, 37? 39 

Volunter Firemen, New York 34 

Von Hoffman & Co., L 25 

Vosburg, Colonel 71st Regiment, N. Y 129 

Vyses, Hunts Point, N. Y 123 



270 INDEX 

W 

W. T. Coleman, clipper ship 8 

Wainwright, Rev., D. D., Bishop, N. Y 133 

Wainwright Memorial Church, N. Y., Episcopal 132 

Walcott, C, M., actor 59, 103 

Waldo, Horace, N. Y 12 

Walker Street, N. Y 53, 56 

Walker, track driver 12 

Wall Street, N. Y 

8, 13, 16, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 55, 121, 124, 126. 130, 131 

Wall Street Ferry, N. Y 9, 41 

Wall Street Ferry, Brooklyn 39 

Wallace & Wickes, flour and provision merchants, N. 

Y 7 

Wallack, James W., actor 60, 103 

Wallack, Lester, actor 59, 60, 103, 104, 105 

Wallack Burial Plot, Greenwood Cemetery 103 

Wallack's Company, actors 59 

Wallack's Theatre, N. Y 59, 103 

Waller, John, dry goods, N. Y 20 

Walter, Elwood, president Ins. Co., N. Y 24 

Walton, Dun, track driver 91 

Walworth, school teacher, Jerusalem, South L. 1 168 

Wambold, minstrel 61 

Wanderer, yacht 22 

Wanzas Flats 143, 162, 174 

War Department, U. S., N. Y 14 

Ward Line, New Orleans steamers 16 

Warren, Lavinia, dwarf at museum 32 

Warren Street, N. Y 16, 44, 52 

Warwick, N. Y 99 

Watch Hill, L. I. Sound 123 

Washington, D. C 48, 50, 51, 100 

Washington Course, Long Island 67 

Washington Engine Co., No. i, Brooklyn Fire Dept., 

Volunteers 37 



INDEX 271 

Washington Fire Department 5^ 

Washington, General 3^ 

Washington Gray Troop 129 

Washington, horse 66 

Washington Hotel 18 

Washington Market, N. Y 63, 127 

Washington Market Butchers, N. Y 23 

Washington Monument, Equestrian, N. Y 114 

Washington Nurse 32 

Washington Park. N. Y 45. 122 

Washington Place, N. Y 109, 136 

Washington Place, West N. Y I33 

Washington Square, N. Y 45. 136, I37 

Washington Square Methodist Church, 4th St., N. Y.. 133 

Washington Street, Brooklyn ii3, 107, 134 

Washington Street, Hempstead, L. 1 12 

Washington Street, N. Y 10, 23 

Water Gate, Castle Garden, N. Y 61 

Water Street, N. Y 8, 9, 18, 19, 21, 59 

Watermire, Mr., N. Y 80 

Watson, James, N .Y 81 

Watson, Robert, N. Y 20 

Watson & Co., William, dry goods, N. Y 20 

Watson, William, Jr., N. Y 20 

Watsons, Hunts Point, N. Y 123 

Waverly Place, N. Y.. .43. 55- 80, 106, 109, 122, 126, 132, 134 

"Way Down South in Dixie," song 48, 58 

Weathersby, Eliza, actress 107 

Weaver, James, Brooklyn 9^ 

Weaver, James, Jr., Brooklyn 9^ 

Weber, Albert, piano manufacturer, N. Y 36, 55 

Webb, James Watson, editor, N. Y 124 

Webster Statue, N. Y 114 

Weed, Thurlow, politician, N. Y 22 

Weehawken, N. J 1/2 

Weehawken Street, N. Y 125 

Weeks, Cale, road house, Jamaica, L. 1 67, 119 



■Z-/Z 



INDEX 



Weeks, Charles, N. Y 80 

Weeks & Douglass, flour dealers, N. Y 7 

Weeks, Mrs., restaurant, N. Y 21 

Weeks, Wm. Jones, Yaphank, L. 1 85 

Weeksville, L. 1 121 

Welch, jeweler, N. Y 59 

Wellington Nose 142 

Wells, Mary, actress 109 

Wenman, James F 36 

Westchester House, hotel, N. Y 56 

Westchester Avenue 138 

Western Celebrity 58 

Western Hotel, N. Y 31 

Western, Helen, actress 102 

Western, Lucille, actress 53 

West Broadway, N. Y 42, 43, 45, 51, 54, 127 

West Farms, N. Y 138 

Westchester County, N. Y 3, 115 

West Hills, L. 1 112 

West Point, N. Y 123 

West Street, N. Y 6, 125, 126, 127 

West Neck, Long Island 169, 171 

Wetmore, Cryder & Co., exporters, N. Y 8 

"What Is It?" negro freak, museum 32, 35 

Whackford Squeers, character, Dickens, drama 69 

Wheatley, Wiilliam S., actor 59, 107 

Whelan, William, track driver 91 

Whelans, Bill, road house, L. 1 9, 1 19 

Whelpley, James, track driver, L. 1 91, 94 

"When This Cruel War is Over," song 48 

"White Fawn," comic opera, spectacular 61 

White Eagle, horse 70 

White & Co., Charles, slaughterers, N. Y 11 

Whitehall, N. Y., street 9, 30 

Whitaker, Bliss, Hempstead, L. 1 88 

White Mansion, N. Y. (Whitehall) 9 

White Plains, N. Y 2>'^, 95 



INDEX 



273 



White Street, N. Y 45, 54, 56 

White Whale, Museum 32 

Whitney, Stephen, N. Y -.13, 21, 136 

White's Hat Store, N. Y 34 

Whitestone, L. 1 24 

Wickham, Wm. H., Mayor, N. Y 36 

Wilde, John, minstrel 58 

Wilder, W. H., actor 107 

Wiley, General, N. Y 42 

Wilkes Heart, horse 29 

Wilkins & Co., P. R., real estate auctioneers, N. Y. . . . 28 

Wilkins, Stage Proprietor, N. Y 42 

Wilkins, Marie, actress 107 

Willard's Hotel, Washington, D. C 51 

Willets, Dan, Brooklyn .92, 93 

Willets, Isaac, Hempstead, L. 1 85, 86 

Willets, Piatt, Hempstead, L. 1 85 

Willets, Samuel, Bellport, L. 1 85 

Willets, Samuel, N. Y 136 

William Street, N. Y 20, 24, 25, 26, 28, 35, 115, 133 

William and Mary, King and Queen 174 

Williams, Barney, actor 60, 103, 104 

Williams, Colonel, U. S. Army 138 

Williams, Mrs. Maria Kathleen, actress 60 

Williams, William, Brooklyn 39 

Williams, George G., bank president, N. Y 52 

Williams, Stevens & Williams, picture store, N. Y 53 

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, E. D 49 

Wilmerding, auctioneer, N. Y 21 

Wilmerding & Mount, auctioneers, N. Y 28 

Wilson, Mr., character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" 33 

Wilson, Mr 160, 162 

Wilson, Woodrow, historian 32 

Willoughby Street, Brooklyn 83 

Wind Shield it6 

Windusts, restaurant, N. Y 21, 22 

Winslow, Lanier & Co., bankers, N. Y 25 

20 



274 INDEX ■ 

Wisconsin, State 5, 6i, 117 

Wolfe, John D 136 

Wood, Alfred M., Colonel 14th Regiment, Brooklyn... 49 

Wood, Benjamin, newspaper proprietor, N. Y 64 

Wood, Fernando, Mayor, N. Y 22, 47, 57, 60, 64 

Wood, Henry, theatrical manager, N. Y 57 

Wood, Martin, hotel, Brooklyn 83 

Wood, Mrs. John, actress 61, loi, 102 

Wood & Hughes, silversmiths, N. Y 59 

Wood & Marsh Combination, children actors 58 

Wood's Gymnasium 137 

Woodruff, Hiram, track driver, L. I.. .9, 69, 80, 82, 91, 94 

Woodruff, Isaac, track driver, L. 1 91 

Woodruff & Robinsons, salt and fish dealers, N. Y. ... 11 

Woodpecker, horse 12, 81 

Woodward, W. R 34 

Woolly Horse, museum freak 32 

Woolleys 1 23 

Work, Frank, stock broker, N. Y 20, 81, 116, 118 

Work & Rossitor, provisions, N. Y 9 

World Building, N. Y 44, 133 

Worrell Sisters, actresses 106 

Worth, General 53 

Worth Street, N. Y 34, 53, 54, 126 

Wotherspoon, Kingsford & Co., cotton brokers, N. Y. . 25 



"Yankee Doodle," song 48 

Yankee Sullivan, pugilist 112 

Yeamans, Annie, actress 106 

Yellow Bird, stage line, N. Y 42 

Yiddish Language 46 

Yonkers 10 

York 83, 143, 152 

York Street 126 

Yorkers 161 



INDEX 275 

Yorkshire, packet-ship 8 

Yorkshiremen 22 

Yorkville Stage Line, N. Y 42 

Youles No. 3 162 

Young, Brigham, Mormon loi 

Young Dove, mare 3 

Young Dutchman, horse 79 

Youngs & Co., shipping and importers, N. Y 8 



Zerega ^^3 

Zouaves 5^ 

Zoe 102 

Zoph 142 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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